Axios reports the company is preparing a post-election PR push led by Chris Lehane as opposition to data centers grows
Data centers have an image problem. OpenAI’s reported fix is to stop calling them data centers.
According to Axios, OpenAI is preparing a public relations push for after Tuesday’s US midterm elections. As part of that campaign, the company may start referring to its facilities as “AI compute campuses.”
What OpenAI is reportedly planning
The effort is being led by Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer. The campaign is set to begin after the November 3, 2026 elections.
The new name is meant to change how these facilities are understood. Rather than anonymous warehouses full of humming servers, OpenAI wants them seen as long-term investments in computing power, energy infrastructure, and skilled jobs.
The rebrand reportedly comes with a policy package, not just a new label. Lehane’s team has a set of proposals ready for the incoming congressional leadership. Those include:
Community agreements with the towns and counties that host OpenAI facilities.
Legislation giving local residents a say in where data centers get built.
“Speed limits” on advanced AI systems, a notable proposal from a company whose business depends on building those systems.
Why data centers became a campaign issue
The pushback is not abstract. During the 2026 general elections, $173 million was spent on advertising against data centers.
Roughly four out of five of those dollars came from one side. Some 81% of that spending came from Democratic sources.
Public opinion backs up the ad spending. A Pew Research poll found that 54% of Americans view AI data centers negatively when it comes to their environmental footprint.
The complaints are familiar ones. Critics point to environmental damage, heavy water consumption, and the strain these facilities place on local power supplies.
The Ohio showcase
OpenAI is reportedly pointing to a specific project as proof that the campus idea is more than marketing. The PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Ohio is positioned as a demonstration of what host communities can gain.
The numbers attached to it are large. The project is projected to create 35,000 construction jobs and 2,500 permanent jobs.
Those jobs are tied to an 8 GW capacity expansion under a 20-year lease.
The Ohio site also fits into OpenAI’s broader infrastructure ambitions. The company’s Stargate project has surpassed its initial 10 GW capacity target, with multiple campuses in development.
