After midterm rout, OpenAI tries to win over communities it needs for AI expansion

Following US midterm elections in which voters rejected new data centers in 40 of 41 local ballot measures, OpenAI published a National Community Compact and Policy Blueprint with voluntary commitments for future sites it owns and operates, including no NDAs in local negotiations, covering electricity and grid upgrade costs, and disclosing construction and water usage data. The pledges' scope is unclear since much of OpenAI's infrastructure is built and held by partners like Oracle, and policy chief Chris Lehane acknowledged projects could face delays. The election split AI stocks, with specialized data center operators falling and cash-rich tech giants rising, while Elon Musk's $446 million in backing for Republican candidates largely went to losers.