OpenAI is quietly pushing the Trump administration to dramatically expand federal tax credits for AI infrastructure, according to a recently surfaced letter that reveals the company's ambitious strategy to secure government backing for its massive data center expansion. The move could reshape how America funds its AI competitiveness against China.
OpenAI just made its biggest policy play yet, and it's all about getting Uncle Sam to help foot the bill for America's AI infrastructure race. The company's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane sent a detailed letter to the White House in late October, asking the Trump administration to expand the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit beyond semiconductors to include AI servers, data centers, and electrical grid components.
The stakes couldn't be higher. That 35% tax credit from the Biden-era Chips Act currently only covers semiconductor fabrication, but OpenAI wants it broadened to cover the entire AI infrastructure stack. "Broadening coverage of the AMIC will lower the effective cost of capital, de-risk early investment, and unlock private capital to help alleviate bottlenecks and accelerate the AI build in the US," Lehane wrote in the October 27 letter.
The timing isn't coincidental. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman just dropped some jaw-dropping numbers about the company's expansion plans. He expects the company to hit "above $20 billion in annualized revenue run rate" by the end of 2025 and reach "hundreds of billions by 2030." But here's the kicker - OpenAI has already committed $1.4 trillion over the next eight years for infrastructure development.
That's Tesla-sized money for data centers, and it explains why OpenAI is pushing so hard for government support. The company isn't just asking for tax credits either. Their wish list includes accelerated permitting for AI projects and a strategic reserve of raw materials like copper, aluminum, and rare earth minerals - essentially treating AI infrastructure like a national security priority.
But the messaging got messy this week when CFO Sarah Friar suggested at a Wall Street Journal event that the government should "backstop" OpenAI's infrastructure loans. The comment sent ripples through policy circles before Friar quickly clarified on LinkedIn that she "misspoke" and that "OpenAI is not seeking a government backstop for our infrastructure commitments."
