OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has clarified that the company’s discussions with the U.S. government regarding federal support were focused on loan guarantees for semiconductor fabrication plants, not for its expansive data center buildout. The statement comes amid public confusion following comments by OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, who had suggested the need for a “federal backstop” to support the massive capital requirements of AI infrastructure.
Altman emphasized that while OpenAI is investing heavily in multi-billion dollar data centers, it is not seeking government guarantees for those facilities. Instead, the company supports federal aid for domestic chip manufacturing, which is critical to sustaining the AI boom and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.
“We’re not asking for guarantees for our data centers,” Altman said, adding that OpenAI expects to end 2025 with an annualized revenue run rate above $20 billion CNA DATAQUEST U.S. News.
The clarification follows a wave of scrutiny over the role of public funding in private AI development. Altman’s remarks aim to distinguish OpenAI’s position from broader industry calls for government-backed infrastructure support.
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