OpenAI grants $80 million to Savannah community for data center project

OpenAI is developing a new powered land site in Savannah, Georgia, intended to become a large data center. To build trust with the local community, the company has provided an $80 million grant that the community can deploy over five years, with the community retaining full decision-making power over how the funds are used. The first request from the community was to fund free school lunches, costing approximately $4.5 million, which OpenAI approved immediately. Since the implementation of this program, uptake of the free lunch program has increased by 50%. OpenAI highlighted that data centers bring high-skilled jobs, such as electricians and HVAC technicians, to communities like Abilene, Texas. The company noted that a data center with a closed-loop cooling system uses water equivalent to about 300 households per year, or roughly two Olympic swimming pools, and aims to reduce this footprint through improved fluid dynamics research. OpenAI believes that earning community trust for data center construction requires listening to local concerns and providing direct, community-controlled financial benefits rather than dictating terms.