{"slug": "openai-is-stepping-back-from-ndas-for-data-center-projects", "title": "OpenAI is stepping back from NDAs for data center projects", "summary": "OpenAI announced new community commitments for its data center projects, including that it will not use non-disclosure agreements with public officials and will allow only narrow protections covering legitimate security information, trade secrets, or proprietary or competitively sensitive information. The commitments, published after midterm voters voiced opposition to data center expansion, also include OpenAI paying the full cost of the electricity it uses and the infrastructure needed to serve it, publishing expected job creation and reporting on hiring, and giving every future \"compute campus\" it owns and operates a \"local compact\" reflecting local priorities. Amazon announced in October that it would no longer use NDAs with government agencies it works with on data center projects.", "body_md": "Following this week’s midterms where voters resoundingly voiced their [opposition to data center expansion](https://www.theverge.com/policy/1026365/data-centers-midterms-results), OpenAI today announced [new commitments](https://openai.com/index/setting-new-standard-responsible-ai-infrastructure/) to communities where it is working on data center projects, including that it won’t use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with public officials.\n\n# OpenAI is stepping back from NDAs for data center projects\n\nThe ChatGPT maker won’t use NDAs with public officials as part of its new data center community commitments.\n\nMany data center projects have come under scrutiny for relying on NDAs to [hide discussions](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/27/nx-s1-5879528/data-center-nda-disclosure-louisiana) between developers and local officials. However, OpenAI says it is now allowing “only narrow protections covering legitimate security information, trade secrets, or proprietary or competitively sensitive information.” In October, Amazon announced [it would](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1003929/amazon-ai-data-center-blog-warning) no longer use NDAs with government agencies it works with on data center projects.\n\nOpenAI’s additional commitments include paying “the full cost” of electricity it uses and the “infrastructure needed to serve us.” It will make opportunities for local communities by publishing the jobs it expects to create and by reporting on hiring. And every future “compute campus” (its [rebranding phrase for data centers](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1025242/openai-quietly-renames-data-centers-as-compute-campuses)) the company owns and operates will have a “local compact” that includes the commitments and will reflect “local priorities,” OpenAI says.\n\n**Follow topics and authors** from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/openai-is-stepping-back-from-ndas-for-data-center-projects", "canonical_source": "https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1028454/openai-data-center-nda", "published_at": "2026-11-06 00:37:56+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-11-06 00:52:42.276315+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["OpenAI", "Amazon", "ChatGPT"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/openai-is-stepping-back-from-ndas-for-data-center-projects", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/openai-is-stepping-back-from-ndas-for-data-center-projects.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/openai-is-stepping-back-from-ndas-for-data-center-projects.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/openai-is-stepping-back-from-ndas-for-data-center-projects.jsonld"}}