OpenAI has formally requested that the Trump administration expand the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC), a central provision of the Biden administration’s Chips Act, to include AI data centers, AI server manufacturing, and electrical grid components essential to AI infrastructure. The request, detailed in an October 27 letter from OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane to Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, emphasizes that broadening the 35% tax credit coverage beyond semiconductors would lower capital costs, reduce investment risks, and accelerate the buildout of critical AI infrastructure across the United States.
The company argues that expanding AMIC to cover components like high-voltage transformers, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converters, transmission lines, and specialized steel used in grid components is crucial to overcoming supply chain bottlenecks and ensuring the U.S. maintains a global leadership position in AI technology. OpenAI also calls for federal support in the form of grants, loans, and loan guarantees to boost domestic production capacity of these vital materials and equipment.
The request comes amid an industry-wide scramble to secure sufficient power, hardware, and real estate to support rapidly growing AI workloads. OpenAI’s ambitious infrastructure project, dubbed “Stargate,” is expected to require up to 5 gigawatts of power, a significant portion of the grid’s capacity. CEO Sam Altman has stated that the U.S. will need to add up to 100 gigawatts of new generation capacity to sustain AI growth, nearly doubling current grid expansion plans.
Public remarks by OpenAI executives sparked debate about the company’s relationship with government support. CFO Sarah Friar clarified that OpenAI is not seeking government backstops for its data center infrastructure loans, retracting earlier statements that caused confusion. Likewise, Altman emphasized that OpenAI does not want government guarantees for its data centers and opposes taxpayer-funded bailouts for companies. However, he noted that discussions about loan guarantees have occurred regarding semiconductor fabrication facilities, not AI data centers.
Altman highlighted OpenAI’s long-term economic impact, projecting the company will surpass $20 billion in annualized revenue by the end of 2025 and grow to hundreds of billions by 2030. The company has committed approximately $1.4 trillion in capital expenditures for AI infrastructure over the next eight years, underscoring its expansive plans to build the U.S.’s computational backbone.
This strategic request aligns with OpenAI’s broader goals to reinforce U.S. industrial capacity, secure supply chains for critical raw materials, streamline permitting and environmental review processes, and equip the domestic workforce for the AI economy. By advocating for expanded federal incentives and regulatory modernization, OpenAI seeks to ensure America’s competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, while simultaneously fostering economic growth and technological innovation nationwide.
The company’s outreach comes at a critical moment as the U.S. government and private sector weigh how best to support and regulate the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry while grappling with infrastructure, security, and workforce challenges.
This letter and subsequent public discussion shed light on the vital role of federal policies in shaping the future of AI infrastructure and illustrate OpenAI’s commitment to driving this transformative technological era from the United States.
