Summary
OpenAI has published commitments for future compute campuses it owns and operates, alongside policy proposals for U.S. governments. The commitments cover local input, energy costs, resource reporting and jobs.
OpenAI published a National Community Compact and a Compute Campus Policy Blueprint on November 5, 2026. The compact sets out commitments for future compute campuses the company owns and operates; the blueprint recommends rules for federal, state and local policymakers to apply more broadly.
The two documents address a practical question raised by large computing projects: how to give nearby residents a say in development and ensure local customers are not left with added costs. OpenAI says it will create a local compact for each of its future campuses, shaped by local priorities.
Commitments for campuses OpenAI operates
OpenAI says it will engage residents early enough for their input to shape plans, provide a local contact throughout each campus’s life and publish an annual report on its performance. It also commits to paying the full cost of the electricity it uses and the infrastructure needed to serve it. Before major spending begins, the company says it will provide financial assurances to protect other customers if a project is delayed, reduced or cancelled.
The compact calls for a water plan at each campus, with closed-loop or low-water cooling prioritised. OpenAI says it will publish site-level water and electricity use, as well as construction plans and independent noise studies before operations begin and annually afterwards. It also says it will not use non-disclosure agreements with public officials, except for narrow protections covering security information, trade secrets or proprietary and competitively sensitive information.
For local employment, the company says it will publish expected job numbers, work with unions and training providers to prepare residents, and report annually on hiring and apprenticeships. It also pledges sustained investment in priorities selected by residents. OpenAI cited a $4.8 million grant shaped by residents in Effingham County, Georgia, for free school meals for 14,000 students, and a joint $6 million commitment with SB Energy for childcare in Pike County, Ohio.
Policy changes the company proposes
OpenAI’s blueprint asks state utility commissions to require large electricity customers to pay the costs they add to the grid and protect other customers if a project falls through. It also proposes making campus connections easier when operators can safely reduce demand during periods of scarce power. At its planned Effingham County campus, OpenAI says an agreement with Georgia Power allows the utility to reduce electricity delivered to the site by up to 1,000 megawatts during periods of high demand.
The blueprint also recommends public reporting on water, energy, noise and hiring; limits on when developers can require public officials to sign non-disclosure agreements; and public, measurable terms for tax incentives, including a way to recover benefits if a developer falls short. To encourage local hiring and purchasing, it proposes that developers share buying plans early and that employers, unions and community colleges use hiring forecasts to prepare residents for expected work.
The distinction between the two documents matters: the compact describes OpenAI’s own pledges for campuses it operates, while the blueprint is a set of recommendations for policymakers. If adopted, those rules could apply beyond OpenAI’s projects.