November 14th.USAAIStartups OpenAI Recently, the U.S. and its allies have been called upon to work together to establish a "North American Artificial Intelligence Consortium" to support the development of the infrastructure needed to develop AI systems to counter competition from China.
OpenAI said Wednesday that the U.S. and its neighbors could form a "North American Artificial Intelligence Consortium" toStreamline access to talent, financing and supply chain resources to advance AI technology.The partnership model is expected to expand in the future to encompass a global network of more U.S. allies and partners, including countries in the Middle East, the company noted.
The proposal was included in a new policy blueprint released by OpenAI at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. The document is OpenAI's most detailed public proposal to date, laying out how the U.S. can stay ahead of the curve in AI and meet the technology's enormous energy needs.
OpenAI suggested that the United States should support high-cost energy infrastructure projects by guaranteeing their implementation through a commitment to buy power from the projects. The company also proposes the creation of "AI economic zones" to speed up the permitting process and facilitate the reactivation of nuclear reactors. In addition, OpenAI proposes to utilize small nuclear reactor technology developed by the U.S. Navy to expand nuclear energy capacity to support AI development.
OpenAI says: "Artificial Intelligence offers a can't-miss opportunity to re-industrialize the United States, to drive broad-based economic growth, and to reinvigorate the American Dream. At the same time, it is a national security imperative, designed to protect the U.S. and its allies from the rise of China, and to provide individuals with more choices for the benefit of a broader population through the development of AI centered on American values."
Previously, OpenAI management has worked to raise billions of dollars from investors in markets such as the Middle East to expand the supply of chips, energy and data centers needed to develop artificial intelligence. The company's CEO, Sam Altman, has also met with U.S. officials to garner their support for the program.
OpenAI's latest proposal comes at a time when the U.S. government is about to change. President-elect Donald Trump has acknowledged the need to expand U.S. energy capacity in order to remain competitive in the field of artificial intelligence, and has proposed easing licensing requirements and increasing the use of fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
At Wednesday's policy briefing, Chris Lehane, OpenAI's vice president for global affairs, said the company spent a lot of time discussing AI infrastructure needs with the Biden administration and the Trump team.
"I'm an optimist," Lehan said. "I think this is going to be one of the important issues for the next Congress and the new administration, and all parties will be willing to work together in this area because there's a lot at stake."