OpenAI promises to pay the full electricity cost of its data centers

On Thursday, two days after the US vote, OpenAI published commitments for the data centers that it owns and operates. OpenAI said again that it will pay the full cost of the electricity that its data centers use. It will also get input from the community, publish construction plans and not use non-disclosure agreements with officials.

What is new

The blueprint wants lawmakers to make the same commitments into law. Chris Lehane, chief global affairs officer of OpenAI, says it sets “a very high floor” for the work forward. Lehane says the work began in August and that Lehane met dozens of lawmakers and candidates.

The numbers

On Tuesday, voters in 10 US states faced 41 local ballot measures. Ballotpedia and CNBC report that voters backed limits or rejected pro-development measures in all but one. In February, OpenAI told investors that its target is to spend $600 billion on computers by 2030.

What is not known

The source does not tell how OpenAI will show that it keeps the pledges. The pledges are not law, and they include only sites that OpenAI owns and operates. Voters worry about an increase in utility bills, damage to the environment and loss of work.

Insight: OpenAI wants to write the floor itself

OpenAI must make data centers fast to make its $600 billion target. Axios reported a campaign after the vote, with the new name AI compute campuses for data centers. This seems to be a move to set the floor first, and the laws then agree with OpenAI. Congress is in session again at the end of January: monitor the bills then.