OpenAI and Georgia Power began planning long-term firm electricity procurement for a 500+ MW AI data center complex.

In May, as Georgians rallied at the polls and community meetings against power- and water-intensive data centers, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp met with representatives of OpenAI to discuss the company's business plans for the state. Although the meeting appeared on Kemp's public calendar, neither the governor's office, OpenAI, nor Georgia Power—whose representatives attended—elaborated on what was discussed.

According to a one-page briefing memo obtained by The Current GA through an open records request, the May 20 meeting was intended to "brief the governor on OpenAI's activity in the state of Georgia," providing an overview of why the state and specific sites were of interest, detailing job and investment commitments, and outlining OpenAI's strategy and timeline. It remains unclear who initiated the meeting or what specific business strategy OpenAI might be pursuing in Georgia.

Records from Georgia's state AI Advisory Council show that state staff have been using ChatGPT extensively, logging thousands of chats. In 2025, Georgia established a state Office of Artificial Intelligence to bring together state agencies, companies, and elected officials to "foster experimentation and development in AI and other emerging technologies," allocating 500 ChatGPT enterprise licenses for state employee use.

OpenAI is also developing classified chatbot technology, which it recently sold to the Pentagon. The company leads a national AI data center initiative announced by President Donald Trump a day after his 2025 inauguration. The "Stargate" project, partnered with software company Oracle and backed by investment from Japan's SoftBank Group, plans to build $500 billion in data centers nationwide.

Stargate has announced data center sites in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, and Michigan. Despite local opposition in Saline Township, Michigan, those plans are proceeding.

The OpenAI representatives at the Atlanta meeting included senior leaders in site readiness and development, economic development, and power projects.

Georgia's data center boom centers on metro Atlanta, with some facilities owned by shell corporations whose computing activities remain opaque. No data centers currently operate on Georgia's coast, though a rezoning request for one in Kingsland drew sufficient public opposition to prompt the applicant's withdrawal.

Kemp's briefing memo was the sole document his office provided in response to an open records request for materials prepared before or after the meeting or received from OpenAI.

A spokesman for Kemp declined to comment on the governor's "private conversations and meetings," though he noted that Kemp regularly meets with business executives to stay informed about industry developments.

Georgia Power stated it cannot discuss "specific projects or potential customer agreements," and emphasized its role in ensuring that businesses have access to "reliable and affordable electricity" when locating or expanding in the state.

An OpenAI spokesperson declined to confirm or comment on the private meeting, instead providing links to promotional materials about data center plans.