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OpenAI pledges to pay for data center power after election highlights AI concerns

OpenAI reaffirmed its pledge to pay the full cost of powering its data centers in a set of commitments published Thursday, two days after voters at the polls strongly rejected rapid AI expansion. For data centers it owns and operates, the company will seek community input, publish construction plans and avoid non-disclosure agreements with public officials, and its policy blueprint urges policymakers to turn similar commitments into law. Across 41 local ballot measures in 10 states, voters backed restrictions or rejected pro-development measures in all but one, according to Ballotpedia and CNBC. Opposition to AI data centers grew over the summer as consumers worried about inflation, environmental harms, utility bills and job losses. OpenAI told investors in February it targets $600 billion in total compute spend by 2030.

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