OpenAI CFO Says Data-Center Buildout Will Continue After Midterms

CNBC reported on November 6, 2026, that OpenAI will keep investing in AI data centers despite midterm election opposition, with chief financial officer Sarah Friar saying the company still needs compute to meet customer demand, maintain hyperscaler relationships and raise fresh capital. Friar spoke with Sara Eisen at the Citi TMT Leadership Summit in Pebble Beach, California. Across 41 local ballot measures in 10 states, voters backed restrictions or rejected pro-development measures in all but one; voters across the country also supported candidates pledging restrictions on data-center development. That backdrop puts local acceptance alongside OpenAI’s need for facilities to train models and serve customers.