OpenAI CEO Altman Calls for Easier Construction of Data Centers and Power Plants for US AI Leadership

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is urging President-elect Donald Trump to ease restrictions on data center and power plant construction to bolster the development of artificial intelligence in the United States, according to an interview published by Bloomberg.

Altman stressed the need for increased infrastructure investment during a conversation with Bloomberg, stating, "The thing I really deeply agree with the president on is, it is wild how difficult it has become to build things in the United States. Power plants, data centers, any of that kind of stuff." He added that while he understands bureaucratic hurdles, "It's not helpful to the country in general," and "It's particularly not helpful when you think about what needs to happen for the U.S. to lead AI. And the U.S. really needs to lead AI."

Altman's call for streamlined construction comes as the AI sector experiences rapid growth, driven by advancements in large language models and generative AI. These technologies are incredibly energy-intensive, fueling the need for substantial power capacity.

This need for increased power has led tech giants to explore new sources of carbon-free energy, such as nuclear power, in an effort to minimize their environmental impact while supporting AI development.

Trump has recently announced a $20 billion investment in data center construction across the Midwest and Sun Belt regions, signaling his commitment to supporting the technology sector. During a press conference, Trump emphasized the importance of data centers for AI, stating, "Artificial intelligence is very big into the data centers, and that's going to be a very hot item in the coming years."

Altman's call for reduced bureaucratic red tape aligns with the president-elect's focus on infrastructure development. However, it remains to be seen how the Trump administration will prioritize AI infrastructure within its broader policy agenda.