OpenAI urgently needs to reverse the increasingly negative public perception of data centers in the United States. The leading AI company posted a new job opening over the weekend for a Community Engagement Lead. The core responsibility of this position is to communicate with the local community where the company plans to build its “Stargate” data center.
OpenAI states that one of the core metrics for measuring the effectiveness of this role is “reducing community resistance.”
Technology companies are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in building data centers to power their products. However, communities around the world are not entirely welcoming this trend. Many residents worry that data centers will deplete water resources, drive up electricity bills, generate noise, and ultimately lower their overall quality of life.
Artificial intelligence companies argue that some of the problems can be alleviated by adopting new cooling technologies and bearing the electricity costs themselves; at the same time, these projects can create thousands of jobs for local communities. However, most of these jobs are temporary and concentrated in the construction phase.
Protests against data center construction have erupted across the United States. Kevin O’Leary, a prominent investor and guest on the Shark Tank show, is facing strong opposition to a data center development project in Utah.
For artificial intelligence companies, building data centers is almost a necessity for survival—their constantly evolving chatbots and intelligent agents require continuously increasing computing power to operate efficiently. Some companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, are even exploring solutions for building space-based data centers.
The “Stargate” project, jointly initiated by OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank, and MGX, was officially announced on January 21, 2025. The project plans to invest $500 billion (approximately 3.41 trillion RMB at the current exchange rate) across the United States to build artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Currently, the Stargate data center has been selected for locations in Texas, Michigan, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Ohio.
In its job posting for a Community Affairs Manager, OpenAI stated that securing community support for the data center project is “a core mission.” The company said, “This role requires ensuring the local community understands our development plans, the significance of the project, and the tangible benefits the community can gain from it.”
OpenAI requires applicants to be based in the area or willing to relocate to the proposed data center community; the annual salary is $129,600 to $236,000 (approximately RMB 884,000 to 1,609,000 at the current exchange rate), plus equity incentives.
OpenAI further explained: “Community affairs leaders need to proactively build communication bridges, intervene in a timely manner to resolve residents’ concerns before they escalate, and integrate community demands into the entire process of project planning, promotion, and implementation.”
