Influencers draw backlash for attending OpenAI’s first luxury trip
OpenAI has faced online backlash after sending a small group of social media influencers on its first luxury "brand trip," dubbed "Summer Club," amid growing public unease about the impact of artificial intelligence. The retreat, held over the weekend in upstate New York, saw creators post lighthearted content about farm-to-table dinners and wellness classes, but the comments sections quickly filled with criticism, with some accusing participants of ignoring AI's environmental and social costs in exchange for luxury perks.
Attendees enjoyed activities including beekeeping and painting workshops alongside sessions on using OpenAI's products, though the tone of public reaction was far harsher than the videos themselves, with commenters mocking one influencer for accepting "a nice hotel room" and pressing others to address data centres' environmental footprint. The backlash comes as OpenAI reportedly prepares a $500 billion data centre deal in Ohio and holds a $200 million Pentagon contract, details that critics say made the retreat's timing look particularly tone-deaf. OpenAI hired former Instagram executive Charles Porch in February to lead creator partnerships, and other AI firms, including Anthropic and Microsoft, have run similar influencer events without attracting comparable criticism. Neither OpenAI nor the featured influencers had responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
- OpenAI's influencer luxury retreat sparked heavy online criticism.
- Critics cited AI's environmental impact and OpenAI's Pentagon contract.
- Other AI firms have run similar trips without similar backlash.
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Online reaction to artificial intelligence companies has been growing more critical, particularly around the huge energy and resource costs of the data centres that power tools like ChatGPT. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is one of the leading firms in this field, and it employed a former Instagram executive earlier this year to build relationships with social media influencers.
The controversy centres on a weekend retreat OpenAI organised for a small group of influencers in upstate New York, featuring activities such as farm-to-table meals, wellness classes and beekeeping. When attendees shared cheerful videos from the trip online, many viewers reacted with anger, arguing that accepting luxury perks from OpenAI glossed over concerns about AI's environmental impact and its wider effects on jobs and society.
The episode has drawn attention partly because of OpenAI's scale and influence: the company is reportedly involved in a very large data centre investment and holds a major contract with the US defence department. Other AI companies have run similar influencer trips without facing the same level of criticism, which has made some observers question why this particular event became a flashpoint.