OpenAI CEO Sam Altman renewed his call for the U.S. government to expand eligibility under the Chips Act’s Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC), saying the country needs to broadly support AI-related infrastructure if it wants to stay ahead of competition in the world of artificial intelligence.
Altman’s comments, published on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, come as Washington is racing to strengthen its semiconductor and AI supply chains amid intensifying global competition, particularly from China and the EU.
Altman Seeks Wider AI Industry Support
The push follows an Oct. 27 letter from OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane to White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, in which Lehane urged the Biden administration to expand AMIC eligibility to include AI server manufacturing, data center construction, and critical power grid components — all seen as key to supporting the next wave of AI breakthroughs.
The Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit, established through the 2022 Chips and Science Act, allows companies investing in domestic semiconductor production to get up to a 25% tax credit. But it does not include in its purview broader AI infrastructure, such as high-performance data centers or power systems that feed them — each of which are integral in training large-scale AI models.
Altman argues that an expanded incentive could catalyze a new wave of U.S. industrial growth, creating jobs and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.
“We think U.S. re-industrialization across the entire stack — fabs, turbines, transformers, steel, and much more — will help everyone in our industry, and other industries (including us),” Altman wrote.
He added that the tax credit, in any case, has nothing to do with direct financial support or “loan guarantees” for OpenAI.
Federal Incentives and OpenAI’s Expanding AI Ambitions
The call by Altman comes when OpenAI, along with other leaders in AI like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Google, grapples with soaring infrastructure costs driven by the global AI boom. Huge computational requirements in the training and deployment of generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, place unprecedented demand on chip supplies and data center capacity.
Earlier this week, Altman let the world know OpenAI plans to invest around $1.4 trillion in building and expanding its computing infrastructure over the next eight years. That figure underlines how resource-intensive modern AI development has become.
It includes investments in next-generation data centers, sourcing high-end GPUs, and possibly even partnering with chipmakers for stable hardware supply.
The CEO had previously confirmed discussions with the U.S. government regarding federal loan guarantees in order to incentivize new semiconductor fabrication plants, or fabs, within the U.S. but had clarified that those talks had not extended to data centers.
White House Pushback and the Broader Debate
While OpenAI and other tech companies have pushed for more government support, U.S. officials have been more cautious.
White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks reportedly said the administration has “no plans for a federal bailout” of AI companies, suggesting the government’s focus is on long-term competitiveness rather than direct industry subsidies.
The debate reflects a growing tension in Washington’s approach to emerging technologies: how to support innovation without fueling excessive corporate dependency on federal funds.
A Race for AI Dominance
The push for expanded incentives comes as the U.S., China, and the European Union compete to lead in the next generation of artificial intelligence.
For example, China has rapidly scaled up domestic semiconductor production and AI research, while the EU recently launched a €1.2 billion AI innovation initiative. The Biden administration makes the point that maintaining the technological edge will require massive investment not only in chips but also in energy and infrastructure systems powering AI.
Industry analysts are quick to point out that the U.S. will fall further behind if it does not modernize its industrial framework. “The next phase of the AI race won’t just be about algorithms – it will be about who can build and control the infrastructure behind them,” said one policy researcher at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
The Bigger Picture: Building America’s AI Backbone
If adopted, OpenAI’s proposal to expand AMIC would remake America’s approach to building AI infrastructure in a way that finally aligns with the original intent of the Chips Act: to make sure critical technologies are built on U.S. soil. His point is obvious: If the U.S. is to remain competitive in the age of supercomputing and generative AI, it needs to industrialize beyond semiconductors-from steel and power grids to server farms and fabrication plants. With global demand for AI capacity skyrocketing and costs climbing, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The next frontier of AI leadership, Altman insists, will be decided not just by innovation in algorithms but by who builds the machines — and where they are built.
