OpenAI Wants to Rename Data Centers 'AI Compute Campuses'

OpenAI wants to call its data centers "AI Compute Campuses." The proposal, reported by Axios, sits at the center of a public relations campaign aimed at American voters before the November 3 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race.

The company has worked on the terminology since August, according to the report. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, framed the midterms as a preview of the larger fight ahead. He said the midterms would be "a bit of a movie trailer for what you're going to see in 2028." He expects AI to become a major campaign issue, driven by public concern over jobs, the economy, and the environment.

What does a name change solve?

Probably little, on the evidence available. OpenAI also promotes what Lehane described as safeguards, or "speed limits," for the technology. A company spokesperson said: "Compute campuses better describe the role of the infrastructure we are rebuilding for AI." The spokesperson added that the projects represent long-term investments in computing, energy infrastructure, and skilled jobs.

The rebranding arrives as opposition to large data centers accelerates across the United States. The facilities consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. Nearby communities report noise, air pollution, rising utility bills, and limited public consultation. OpenAI plans community agreements and infrastructure commitments to answer those complaints.

The polling does not favor the industry. A Redfin report in May found that 47 percent of surveyed Americans oppose a new data center in their community. A separate report in August documented how developers and local authorities frequently negotiate behind non-disclosure agreements, leaving residents without access to key project information.

Where resistance has already bitten

The pushback has altered construction plans, not just sentiment. At least 19 Michigan municipalities have moved to restrict new data center developments. That followed the OpenAI and Oracle Stargate project, valued at $16 billion, which proceeded in Sanile township despite local opposition. Amazon abandoned plans for four data centers in northern Virginia last month after community pushback.

Microsoft has tried a more material approach than renaming. In January, it announced a community-first program, promising to cover electricity cost increases tied to its data centers and to invest in local infrastructure and jobs. No results from that commitment appear in the current reporting.

A wider war over words

OpenAI is not alone in rewriting the vocabulary. President Donald Trump directed federal agencies in late September to replace "artificial intelligence" with "super intelligence," arguing the word "artificial" made the technology sound "fake." His administration instructed State Department employees to use "superintelligence" or "SI" in directives, websites, reports, and policy documents.

Industry executives have adopted the language with enthusiasm. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has called data centers "superintelligence factories." Elon Musk announced plans last month to rename his AI company SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. Meta established Meta Superintelligence Labs in 2025, and Microsoft has assembled a team focused on developing superintelligence.

Lehane conceded that scrutiny will not disappear with a new name. "Communities should hold companies responsible and accountable so they really and truly get a transformative benefit from these projects," he said. The quote is an admission of sorts. A rebrand cannot answer questions about electricity rates, water use, or closed-door negotiations.

The test ahead is concrete: whether community agreements and new vocabulary can slow the spread of municipal restrictions before the 2028 campaign puts every data center lease under a political microscope.