The opposition to AI infrastructure across the United States has prompted OpenAI to adopt a softer approach this time. According to a July 23 report by Business Insider, OpenAI is seeking community support for a large data center in Georgia, launching a new initiative called Project Camellia—a data center campus that will be built on about 567 hectares of land in the rural area of Effingham County, Savannah, with an investment of at least $2 billion and an electricity demand of 3.2 gigawatts.

OpenAI states that the team has already communicated with state and local officials, community leaders, schools, and others, listened to their opinions, and will hold public meetings in the future. The company emphasizes that early engagement with the community is the right way to build trust, as the project is still in the early development stage, and there is a lot of work to be done on infrastructure, construction schedule, design, financing, and operational models. Effingham County Commissioner Jamie Drollinger also publicly stated that the team raised sharp questions and confirmed that the project will use very little water, will not increase energy costs for local residents, and will bring new taxes to support schools and create more opportunities for local businesses.

A power supply contract has already been signed with Georgia Power. The 567-hectare campus will be powered in phases from 2028 to 2032. At the same time, OpenAI has outlined four commitments to directly address the long-standing issues that often spark neighborhood resistance—issues that are the main reasons for opposition to data center construction elsewhere.

The commitments clearly state: the project will not increase electricity bills for local residents; the closed-loop water system used by the campus will keep water usage at an extremely low level. Georgia families will not bear the cost of the project; all infrastructure and electricity service fees required for power supply will be fully covered by OpenAI. This campus will also be among the first data centers that can actively reduce their own power consumption during peak times, avoiding the impact on residential users. Money has also been put forward: throughout the entire operation cycle, OpenAI plans to contribute $80 million to the community, and provide a total of $71 million in Codex usage credits for students at eligible Georgia universities, community colleges, and technical schools—each qualified student will be able to receive a $100 Codex credit through their own ChatGPT account.

To ensure these commitments are not empty words, an independent institution will audit OpenAI's compliance annually and make the results public. Once the campus is fully completed, it is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and over 1,000 long-term operational positions. While placing computing power in the countryside, OpenAI clearly aims to first settle people's hearts.