OpenAI Rebrands Data Centers as “Compute Campuses”

OpenAI has begun calling some of its data centers “compute campuses,” introducing the term in a Monday announcement for its Grid Protectors Program. The initiative starts with a planned site in Effingham County, Georgia, and aims to address concerns about the effect of its AI infrastructure on local power grids during extreme weather and emergencies.

The Verge reports that “data center” appeared twice in OpenAI’s roughly 900-word announcement, while “compute campus” appeared more often. OpenAI said it would “pay the costs we create” and help communities keep their electricity on. It also described its new facilities as different from data centers built a few years ago, saying they allow the company to be “flexible in our power demand.”

The terminology shift follows an Axios report that OpenAI planned to use “AI compute campuses” in a policy and public relations push after the US midterm elections. OpenAI did not respond to The Verge’s questions about the change or its motivation.

Critics quoted by The Verge said a new name does not address data centers’ environmental effects or their demands on local resources. Holly Elmore of PauseAI US called the change an attempt to escape an unpopular label. Abre’ Conner of the NAACP’s Center for Environmental and Climate Justice said renaming facilities does not fix the harms she attributes to the infrastructure.

For comparison, Anthropic has pledged to cover 100 percent of power-grid connection upgrades for its data centers. The Verge reports the company has also made commitments on community investment, water supplies, and nondisclosure agreements.