Sam Altman’s OpenAI announced a partnership with North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) on Wednesday as the AI company accelerates its data center construction efforts across the United States.
Axios reports that the collaboration between OpenAI and the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) marks a strategic move by the AI company to secure the skilled workforce necessary for its ambitious infrastructure plans. The partnership aims to ensure that AI infrastructure projects create union jobs, expand apprenticeship programs, and generate local economic opportunities.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed the partnership during his appearance at BlackRock’s infrastructure summit on Wednesday, where he discussed the compute and energy infrastructure requirements facing the AI industry. Altman made the announcement alongside NABTU president Sean McGarvey, highlighting the importance of organized labor in the company’s expansion strategy.
According to Chris Lehane, OpenAI chief global affairs officer, the company faces significant workforce challenges as it pursues its infrastructure goals. “To reach 10 gigawatts of compute by 2030, OpenAI will need 20% more tradespeople than exist today,” Lehane stated. He emphasized the urgency of developing this workforce, adding, “It’s imperative for us to have this workforce to be able to continue to build out at the speed and pace that we need to build out, particularly with the global competition with China.”
As part of the agreement, OpenAI has committed $1.5 million over five years to support NABTU’s training and recruitment programs. This financial commitment represents the company’s investment in developing the skilled trades workforce needed to construct and maintain the extensive data center infrastructure required for advanced AI operations.
This partnership represents the second time OpenAI has formally allied with a labor union. Last summer, the company established the National Academy for AI Instruction in collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers, demonstrating an ongoing pattern of engagement with organized labor organizations.
The announcement comes at a critical time for AI companies, which face increasing pressure to rapidly scale their computational infrastructure to remain competitive in the global AI race. Data centers form the backbone of AI development, housing the massive computing power necessary to train and operate increasingly sophisticated AI models.
Breitbart News social media director Wynton Hall recently explained that conservatives don’t get to opt out of the AI revolution. That’s why he wrote the new book, Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, praised Code Red as a “must-read.” She added: “Few understand our conservative fight against Big Tech as Hall does,” making him “uniquely qualified to examine how we can best utilize AI’s enormous potential, while ensuring it does not exploit kids, creators, and conservatives.” Award-winning investigative journalist and Public founder Michael Shellenberger calls Code Red “illuminating,” ”alarming,” and describes the book as “an essential conversation-starter for those hoping to subvert Big Tech’s autocratic plans before it’s too late.”
Read more at Axios here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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