OpenAI is reportedly changing its marketing approach in the wake of the U.S. midterm elections, proposing to rename its data centers as AI compute campuses. The company is preparing a public relations campaign that could include regulatory lobbying and efforts to rehabilitate AI’s image, according to Axios. OpenAI global affairs officer Chris Lehane is said to be steering the policy dialogue, emphasizing that AI should be built by and for people.

The push comes amid public backlash over AI data center construction, with polls showing broad concern about local impacts. Supporters note potential job growth from AI infrastructure, but some studies indicate employment effects are limited or temporary. Residents have raised environmental worries, including water contamination, fossil fuel use, and noise.

OpenAI’s strategy appears to align with broader Silicon Valley efforts to repackage AI development as beneficial, positioning data centers as engines for the economy while seeking to influence international standards and regulatory norms. The company has signaled a preference for a “human-centered” path based on trust, which could involve advocating for slower development to ease regulatory capture concerns. Critics worry such tactics could entrench market dominance by shaping the rules to favor large labs over smaller competitors.

The piece notes a historical context of political alliances in tech, with regulatory environments shifting depending on leadership. OpenAI has not provided comment to the report. The article frames the midterms as a predictor of future AI policy debates and suggests OpenAI aims to build political coalitions ahead of potential regulatory shifts.