AI TRENDS | OpenAI CFO: Company Will Continue Investing in AI Data Centers

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said Friday that the company will continue investing in AI infrastructure despite voter opposition to data center development in the midterm elections. According to Sina Finance, Friar said at the Citi TMT Industry Leaders Conference in Pebble Beach, California, that OpenAI had partnered early with major hyperscalers and would continue fundraising to meet customer needs. Ballotpedia data and additional results compiled Wednesday showed that, among 41 local ballot measures across 10 states, only one failed to advance restrictions; voters in the others backed limits on construction or rejected pro-development proposals. Opponents have raised concerns about environmental damage, higher utility bills, and potential job losses. Friar said the election would not fundamentally change OpenAI’s approach, and that the company would continue working with local communities to build trust. Investors have recently grown more cautious toward AI stocks amid rising borrowing costs, concerns about mounting debt, and public opposition to the AI industry. On Thursday, the Nasdaq posted its steepest one-day drop in 19 months, with chipmakers and new cloud operators closely tied to AI infrastructure leading the declines.