OpenAI pitches data center power plants as a way to protect nearby areas

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As public opinion has soured on data centers, it’s selling ‘AI campuses’ as protectors, instead of noisy polluters.

In an announcement on Monday, OpenAI says it will pilot its “Grid Protectors Program” at an upcoming data center in Effingham County, Georgia, where the company promises to free up to 1,000 megawatts of power during extreme weather or emergencies, enough to power air conditioners in around 700,000 homes.

The announcement comes as opposition to data centers spreads across the US, in response to massive projects that have begun development and construction, frequently with little or no input from local residents.