Influencers Face Backlash for Attending OpenAI's First Luxury Brand Trip

OpenAI's first influencer brand trip, called 'Summer Club,' took place over the weekend at a luxury retreat in upstate New York, treating a handful of influencers to farm-to-table dinners, beekeeping, and workshops on using OpenAI products. The videos posted by attendees were aesthetic, but comments were largely critical, with some accusing influencers of 'selling their souls' and questioning the environmental impact of AI data centers. One influencer deleted her trip video after being contacted by TechCrunch. OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the trip was education-led, aimed at teaching creators about the newly released ChatGPT Work, and that creators are an important part of their community. The backlash is amplified by OpenAI's planned $500 billion data center deal in Ohio and its $200 million contract with the Department of Defense, which some commenters cited as reasons for their ire. OpenAI hired Charles Porch as VP of global creative partnerships in February, and other AI labs like Anthropic and Microsoft have also hosted influencer events, but none drew as much criticism as this one.