OpenAI has asked the U.S. federal government to support its ambitious data center expansion plans, according to a recent letter from the company. In the letter, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, urged the White House’s director of science and technology policy, Michael Kratsios, to broaden the scope of the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC). He asked that the program, which currently supports semiconductor manufacturing, also cover electrical grid components, AI servers, and AI data centers.
The AMIC offers a 35% tax credit under the Biden administration’s Chips Act. Lehane explained that expanding the credit would reduce investment costs, lower financial risks for early investors, and attract more private capital to speed up AI infrastructure development in the U.S. He also called on the government to streamline the permitting and environmental review process for data center projects and to create a strategic reserve of essential materials like copper, aluminum, and processed rare earth minerals, which are critical for building AI systems.
OpenAI first published the letter on October 27, but it gained wider attention only after company executives made public remarks that sparked debate about their expectations from the Trump administration.
During a Wall Street Journal event on Wednesday, OpenAI’s chief financial officer, Sarah Friar, said the government should “backstop” the company’s infrastructure loans. Her statement drew attention, leading her to clarify on LinkedIn that she had misspoken. She wrote that OpenAI was not seeking any government guarantee for its infrastructure funding and that her choice of words had caused confusion.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, later addressed the issue, emphasizing that the company neither has nor wants government guarantees for its data centers. He stated that OpenAI believes governments should avoid picking winners and losers in the market and that taxpayers should not be responsible for companies that fail due to poor business decisions. However, he acknowledged that the company had discussed potential loan guarantees related to the broader effort to expand semiconductor manufacturing in the United States.
In the same statement, Altman shared insights into OpenAI’s growth trajectory. He revealed that the company expects to surpass $20 billion in annualized revenue by the end of 2025 and to reach hundreds of billions by 2030. He also noted that OpenAI has already committed $1.4 trillion in capital investment for the next eight years, underscoring its determination to scale up operations and cement its leadership in the AI industry.
Through the letter and subsequent clarifications, OpenAI signaled that it aims to collaborate with the U.S. government to accelerate the country’s AI infrastructure while maintaining independence from direct financial guarantees. The company’s appeal reflects the broader push among major tech firms to secure the resources and policy support needed to sustain the explosive growth of artificial intelligence across the globe.
