OpenAI is repositioning itself with a distinctly American identity, rolling out a new business strategy that puts U.S. interests front and center.
"We believe in America because America believes in innovation" - that's how OpenAI kicks off its new "Economic Blueprint." The document positions the company as a champion of American tech leadership while sounding the alarm about Chinese competition.
OpenAI tries to create a sense of urgency around AI funding: there's about $175 billion in global investment capital available for AI projects, the company says, suggesting that if the U.S. doesn't capture that funding, it could flow to Chinese-backed initiatives, potentially expanding the Communist Party's global reach.
To prevent this scenario, the company advocates for strict export controls on frontier AI models, limiting access to allied nations only. OpenAI began restricting access to its technology in several countries last year, including China.
Push for domestic infrastructure
OpenAI is pushing for a unified national approach to AI regulation instead of a patchwork of state rules. Their strategy rests on four key pillars they say are essential for AI leadership: chips, data, energy, and talent.
The blueprint maps out some ambitious infrastructure plans. OpenAI wants to create "AI Economic Zones" that would fast-track approvals for solar, wind, and nuclear power plants, along with a "National AI Infrastructure Highway" to connect regional power and communication networks.
The company sees different regions specializing in different aspects of AI development. Kansas, for instance, could become a hub for AI-powered agriculture, while states like Texas or Pennsylvania might lead the way in AI energy innovation. These regional AI labs would work closely with local industries to drive innovation.
OpenAI suggests they might need access to intelligence information and secure facilities, like classified computing clusters, to keep frontier AI models safe.
The blueprint is the first step in OpenAI's "Innovating for America" initiative, which aims to ensure that the benefits of AI reach Americans of all backgrounds. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning a meeting in Washington, DC on January 30th to discuss the advancement of AI and its potential to drive economic growth.
Mixed messages on intellectual property
When it comes to intellectual property, OpenAI's stance gets a bit murky. The blueprint argues that AI systems should be free to learn from "universal, publicly available information" - essentially claiming fair use rights. This matches what they've been saying for years.
Here's the weird part: while defending their own use of content under fair use, they're pushing for crackdowns on "unauthorized digital replicas" and calling out foreign companies that "make no effort to respect or engage with the owners of IP rights."
"If the US and like-minded nations don't address this imbalance through sensible measures that help advance AI for the long-term, the same content will still be used for AI training elsewhere, but for the benefit of other economies," OpenAI warns in the blueprint.
The contradiction becomes even more striking when we look at the broader AI industry. While OpenAI criticizes "other countries" for disregarding IP rights, they're facing multiple lawsuits from copyright holders who claim their work was used without permission.
And they're not alone - Google, Perplexity and other AI companies are battling similar complaints. Meta accessed pirated books through torrent sites for AI training, and evidence suggests OpenAI did use copyrighted books for training as well.
