OpenAI has announced new commitments to give communities greater oversight of data centre developments, including ending non-disclosure agreements with public officials and covering electricity costs, following widespread voter opposition to new facilities in US elections on Tuesday.
The company published its National Community Compact on Thursday, setting out measures it intends to apply to future data centre projects and encouraging policymakers to incorporate similar requirements into legislation. OpenAI said the framework had been in development since August and drew on discussions with residents and officials in Georgia, Ohio, Texas and other states.
Under the commitments, OpenAI will publish construction plans and information about potential effects on local traffic, noise and lighting. It will avoid using non-disclosure agreements when negotiating future sites with public officials, although commercially sensitive information will remain protected.
The company has further pledged to cover the full cost of electricity and infrastructure required by its facilities, protecting existing customers from higher utility bills. Other measures include reducing power consumption during peak demand, returning electricity to the grid where possible and publishing information about water and energy usage.
OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane said the framework reflected lessons from previous developments and engagement with local communities. “What we’re doing with this blueprint is really laying out the best lessons that we have learned and committing to applying them as they go forward,” he told CNBC.
The announcement follows a difficult week for the US data centre industry, with voters backing restrictions or rejecting pro-development proposals in 40 of 41 local ballot measures across 10 states, according to CNBC’s analysis of election results.
Democratic candidates also secured gubernatorial victories in Texas, Georgia and Ohio, with several having campaigned on pausing new data centre permits or tightening development rules. In Texas, governor-elect Gina Hinojosa has called for an immediate moratorium on new projects.
Research group Data Center Watch estimated that at least 45 projects worth $88 billion were disrupted by local opposition during the second quarter of 2026.
Lehane acknowledged that opposition could affect OpenAI’s development plans. “People are certainly going to be mindful of how voters express themselves,” he told Bloomberg, adding that projects could face questions and delays at state and local levels.
OpenAI is seeking to expand infrastructure to support its artificial intelligence services, having announced major data centre developments in Georgia and Ohio. Lehane told Reuters that one facility in southern Ohio was expected to create 2,500 long-term jobs, with average annual salaries of $80,000.
The company is not alone in making community commitments, with Meta, Microsoft, Google and Anthropic having outlined similar measures as competition for AI infrastructure continues.
