OpenAI, Blackstone and SoftBank form a lobbying alliance to counter data center moratorium calls
AI firms, capital and building unions have formed a standing lobbying alliance, moving data center siting fights into organized political combat.
ImportanceMaterialEvidenceE3 inspectableWrite-upStandard
OpenAI, Blackstone, SoftBank and data center operator QTS, together with seven unions including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, have formed a lobbying group called the American Infrastructure Alliance, TechRadar reported on October 2.
The backdrop is rising opposition: Senator Bernie Sanders is planning legislation to pause data center construction nationwide until guardrails are in place. The alliance plans to establish guardrails for data center development in 2027 and will launch its initial defensive strategy in Texas, Georgia, Ohio and four other states.
Critics question the jobs promise: research by environmental group Food & Water Watch found only about 23,000 permanent data center jobs nationwide as of 2024. Whether the alliance actually shifts state and local approvals remains to be seen in its first state-level campaigns.