OpenAI Plans Post-Midterm Push to Promote AI Compute Campuses

OpenAI plans a Washington policy and communications campaign after Tuesday’s midterm elections, promoting “AI compute campuses” as its preferred term for data centers while seeking to shape the debate over artificial intelligence.

The terminology push is part of a broader effort to influence AI discussions as the field of 2028 presidential candidates begins to take shape. OpenAI plans to start the campaign after the Nov. 3 vote, positioning it at the opening of the post-election political cycle.

The company’s policy agenda includes mandatory national AI safety rules. OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane outlined that goal on Sept. 9 and expressed support for four California bills, giving the campaign a policy dimension alongside its terminology push.

OpenAI has also addressed political spending by the AI industry. CEO Sam Altman criticized that spending on Oct. 5, saying it had been ineffective. OpenAI President Greg Brockman withdrew his support for Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC.

In late October, OpenAI launched an Election Operations Center to counter misuse of its tools during voting and help people find accurate election information. The effort involves Democracy Works and the Associated Press.

The PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Ohio provides an example of OpenAI’s campus framing. The company announced the project with SB Energy and NVIDIA. It is about eight gigawatts under a 20-year lease and is expected to create thousands of local jobs.

OpenAI’s Stargate infrastructure initiative, launched in 2025, includes multi-gigawatt campus projects in several states. Some have been described as “AI factories.” The planned Washington campaign is set to begin after the midterm elections on Nov. 3.