OpenAI Drops Public Official NDAs for New Data Center Projects

WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (OPA) — OpenAI announced a series of new commitments for communities hosting its data center projects, including a ban on using non-disclosure agreements with public officials. The decision follows recent midterm elections where voters expressed widespread opposition to the rapid expansion of data facilities.

Many data center developments face criticism for utilizing NDAs to obscure negotiations between developers and local municipal officials. OpenAI stated it will now permit only narrow protections covering legitimate security information, trade secrets, and proprietary or competitively sensitive information. Amazon announced a similar policy in October, stating it would no longer use NDAs with government agencies on data center projects.

Additional commitments from OpenAI include paying the full cost of electricity it consumes and funding the necessary infrastructure to support its operations. The company also pledged to publish expected job creation metrics and report on local hiring outcomes for every facility.

Under the new framework, every future compute campus owned and operated by OpenAI will establish a local compact reflecting these commitments and local priorities. The company aims to address community concerns directly as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure continues to accelerate nationwide.