OpenAI Launches “OpenAI for Countries” to Promote Democratic AI Infrastructure

OpenAI has launched a new initiative called OpenAI for Countries, aimed at helping governments around the world develop their own AI infrastructure—while aligning with democratic values. The program is part of the company’s broader Stargate project and represents a formal push to offer an alternative to authoritarian uses of artificial intelligence.

The initiative responds to growing international interest in building national AI capabilities. According to OpenAI, many countries have asked for help in creating their own "Stargates"—a reference to the company’s supercomputing campuses, the first of which is already under construction in Abilene, Texas. That project, announced in January with support from Oracle, SoftBank, and President Trump, marks what OpenAI calls an unprecedented investment in U.S.-based AI infrastructure.

A Global Push for Democratic AI

OpenAI describes democratic AI as systems built and governed with long-standing democratic principles in mind. These include:

• Individual freedom in how people interact with and direct AI

• Restrictions on government overreach, preventing AI from being used to consolidate power

• Support for open markets, ensuring AI remains competitive and not monopolized

By promoting this model, OpenAI hopes to ensure that the benefits of AI are widely distributed, power remains decentralized, and global development supports human rights and democratic institutions.

“This is a moment when we need to act to support countries around the world that would prefer to build on democratic AI rails, and provide a clear alternative to authoritarian versions of AI that would deploy it to consolidate power.” the company stated.

What OpenAI for Countries Will Offer

The initiative will offer formal partnerships to governments interested in building AI infrastructure aligned with OpenAI’s values. This includes:

• Build in-country data centers to ensure local control of data, support compliance, and foster new industries

• Localized, custom versions of ChatGPT, tailored to local languages and cultural norms, to improve public services such as healthcare and education

• Security and safety controls, including physical infrastructure protections and evolving safeguards as models grow more powerful

• A national startup fund, jointly raised by OpenAI and partner governments, to invest in local AI companies and create jobs and revenue

• Collaboration on the Stargate Project, with partner countries contributing to and benefiting from a global network of U.S.-led AI infrastructure

OpenAI says this model will allow each country to build its own AI ecosystem while contributing to a broader global framework for democratic AI.

First Phase: 10 Countries or Regions

The company plans to launch 10 pilot projects as part of the first phase of OpenAI for Countries, and to expand beyond that over time. Governments can initiate conversations through their representatives in the U.S. or through OpenAI’s international offices.

What This Means

OpenAI’s new initiative is both a strategic expansion and a values-driven move. By offering infrastructure, software, and capital to countries willing to align with democratic standards, OpenAI is attempting to shape the future of global AI governance—and head off competing models that prioritize control over openness.

It’s also a direct signal that OpenAI sees government partnerships not just as a policy matter, but as a core business strategy for the next phase of AI development.

As countries weigh how to build with AI, OpenAI is offering a blueprint—one built not just on servers and models, but on values.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.