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OpenAI’s Sam Altman Urges U.S. to Expand Chips Act Tax Credit for AI Development

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Friday called for the United States to broaden eligibility under the Chips Act’s Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC), arguing that expanding the incentive to include AI data centers, server production, and grid infrastructure is essential for maintaining U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.

Altman’s comments follow a letter sent by OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane on October 27 to White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, formally requesting that the AMIC cover AI infrastructure beyond semiconductor fabrication.

“The U.S. needs re-industrialization across the entire stack — fabs, turbines, transformers, steel, and much more,” Altman said on X (formerly Twitter). “That will help everyone in our industry, and other industries, including us.”

Altman emphasized that the request was “very different from loan guarantees to OpenAI,” clarifying that the company is not seeking direct federal funding for its operations. Earlier this week, he confirmed that OpenAI had discussed potential federal loan guarantees for chip factory construction, but not for data centers.

OpenAI has pledged to invest $1.4 trillion over the next eight years to expand its computational infrastructure, reflecting the skyrocketing demand for AI models and chips that power applications like ChatGPT.

As AI becomes a cornerstone of global technology competition, the Biden administration faces growing pressure to balance industrial policy and fiscal discipline. White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks recently reiterated that there will be no federal bailout for AI companies, underscoring Washington’s cautious stance despite mounting private-sector investment.

Gemini AI Set to Make Google Maps a Conversational Travel Companion

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Google Maps is being reimagined with the help of Gemini, Google’s flagship artificial intelligence system, transforming the navigation app into a more conversational and interactive companion for drivers.

The new design, announced Wednesday, integrates Gemini’s generative AI to create a hands-free experience that allows users to ask for directions, recommendations, and insights naturally — as if speaking to a knowledgeable passenger. Instead of relying solely on distances and street names, the upgraded app will reference landmarks to make navigation more intuitive.

“No fumbling required — now you can just ask,” Google said in a blog post unveiling the redesign. The company emphasized that Gemini’s new conversational features will help users discover restaurants, shops, and attractions on the go while keeping their focus on the road.

Google said it has implemented safeguards to prevent AI “hallucinations” — instances where chatbots generate incorrect information — to ensure accurate and reliable guidance. The data powering Gemini’s responses will come from Google Maps’ extensive database of more than 250 million places built up over two decades of user reviews.

The AI-powered Maps update will roll out soon to both iPhone and Android devices, reaching Google’s global user base of over 2 billion people. By embedding Gemini directly into Maps, Google aims to demonstrate the real-world utility of its AI technology and strengthen its position against rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

This move continues Google’s broader AI transformation, which has already reshaped its search engine to prioritize conversational results over traditional web links.

Microsoft Signs $9.7 Billion Cloud Deal with IREN to Boost AI Computing Power

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Microsoft has signed a $9.7 billion cloud computing deal with U.S.-based data center operator IREN to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure and ease ongoing computing bottlenecks. The agreement, which includes access to Nvidia’s powerful GB300 chips, underscores the growing global demand for AI processing capacity.

Shares of IREN surged nearly 25% to a record high following the announcement before settling up around 10%. Dell Technologies, which will supply Nvidia’s advanced chips and related equipment to IREN, also gained about 1%. Under the five-year agreement, Microsoft will use roughly $5.8 billion worth of IREN’s computing hardware and infrastructure capacity.

The deal allows Microsoft to scale its AI operations without immediately building new data centers or acquiring additional power resources — key hurdles that have limited the company’s ability to meet soaring demand for applications like ChatGPT and Copilot. The approach also helps reduce heavy capital spending on rapidly depreciating hardware as newer processors enter the market.

IREN operates data centers across North America with a total capacity of 2,910 megawatts. The Nvidia chips will be deployed in phases through 2026 at the company’s 750-megawatt facility in Childress, Texas, which will include liquid-cooled centers providing 200 megawatts of new IT capacity.

The deal follows Microsoft’s recent $17.4 billion agreement with AI cloud provider Nebius and reflects the company’s strategy to leverage “neocloud” partners such as IREN and CoreWeave to expand capacity. IREN said Microsoft’s prepayment will help fund its $5.8 billion Dell contract, though the deal could be canceled if deadlines are missed.