After revealing its for-profit transition plan, OpenAI has now released a set of policy suggestions called the ‘Economic Blueprint’ for the US government. According to the ChatGPT maker, the aim behind pitching these proposals is to help the US maintain its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. The Sam Altman-led company proposes these measures to ensure that AI benefits are accessible to everyone and to promote economic growth in various communities across the country.
The company also points out that the US must act now to maximize the potential of AI technology in order to maintain its position amidst intensifying competition with China. While also advocating for minimizing AI’s harms, OpenAI identifies chips, data, and energy as the essential pillars of AI success.
“There’s an estimated $175 billion sitting in global funds awaiting investment in AI projects, and if the US doesn’t attract those funds, they will flow to China-backed projects—strengthening the Chinese Communist Party’s global influence,” the company stated in the document.
In its Economic Blueprint, OpenAI demands setting standards related to AI that are ‘recognized and respected’ by other countries and international organizations. The company calls for rules that establish a balance between economic interests and national security. In addition, the company also proposes that the U.S. government impose restrictions on the export of advanced AI models to other countries. The goal is to prevent adversarial nations from accessing these technologies, which could be used for harmful purposes.
Interestingly, this Economic Blueprint comes at a time when the Biden administration has proposed new export rules for AI chips, citing national security concerns. In this proposal, the government introduced trade restrictions with major countries around the world. Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also been counted as a critic of some existing federal laws, including the CHIPS Act.
Meanwhile, OpenAI suggests that the US government should significantly increase its spending on the infrastructure required to support AI, specifically referring to data centers. Therefore, the company highlights the need for increased investment in power and data transmission. The AI trendsetter also advocates for a significant expansion of energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear power to meet the growing demands of data centers. Last week, Microsoft announced plans to invest around $80 billion in AI data centers in FY25 to support the increasing AI workload.
The company also announced that CEO Sam Altman will host an AI development meeting on January 30 in Washington, D.C. At this event, industry leaders and experts will gather to discuss and provide an overview of the current state of AI advancements and their potential to drive economic growth.
