OpenAI: “We will continue investing in data centers”

[Financial News]

OpenAI declared on the 6th (local time) that it would continue investing in data centers regardless of the U.S. midterm election results.
Sarah Friar, OpenAI’s chief financial officer (CFO), said in an interview with CNBC that day that investment in AI infrastructure would continue. Although voters’ strong opposition to data centers was evident in the midterm elections on the 3rd, the investments would go ahead.
Friar said that even if the midterm election results created regulatory risks, OpenAI would have no choice but to keep raising funds and investing in infrastructure to meet surging AI demand. She said the CFO’s role was to find ways to raise funds and sustain investment even amid regulation.
Residents’ opposition to data centers helped Democrats make gains in this midterm election. Data centers consume vast amounts of electricity and water while creating few jobs, and residents are suffering from soaring utility bills. Noise from data centers is also a source of complaints.
Across 41 local elections in 10 states, including the Texas gubernatorial race, residents made their opposition to data centers clear.
However, Friar insisted that data centers were essential for OpenAI to train AI models and meet customers’ AI needs, and that the election results would bring little change. The previous day, OpenAI had released a white paper outlining its plans for the future and pledged to continue investing in the many data centers it owns and operates.
Friar said OpenAI would build trust with each local community and continue constructing data centers in partnership with them.
Meanwhile, after OpenAI submitted a confidential report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in June for an initial public offering (IPO), Friar said the company was preparing to go public next year.

[email protected] Song Kyung-jae Reporter