OpenAI prepares public relations push ahead of midterms

OpenAI is preparing a public relations initiative following the midterm elections on Tuesday, TechCrunch reported. Chris Lehane, the chief global affairs officer at OpenAI, told Axios that the midterms will serve as a trailer for what will happen in the 2028 presidential election, where he expects artificial intelligence to become a primary issue. [1]

The company is considering proposals to shape public opinion on technology infrastructure. These proposals include rebrand strategies for data centers to call them artificial intelligence compute campuses, as well as developing speed limits for technology rollout. OpenAI also aims to demonstrate how artificial intelligence can empower people. [1]

Data centers serve as facilities that store, manage, and distribute digital information, including artificial intelligence training hardware. These facilities date back to the 1940s with early military systems like the Electrical Numerical Integrator and Computer. [2]

OpenAI has expanded its market presence through software releases such as ChatGPT, which reached over 1.2 billion weekly active users by late September 2026. The company reached a valuation of approximately 852 billion dollars in March 2026 and engaged in talks for further investment funding in October 2026. [3]