OpenAI flew influencers to a $2,000-a-night resort for beekeeping and product briefings. Critics called it greenwashing as the company expands energy-intensive data centers.
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Beneath a canopy of trees at a 140-acre Hudson Valley resort, OpenAI hosted about 30 content creators for a weekend of beekeeping, farm-to-table meals, and product briefings. Weekend room rates at Wildflower Farms typically exceed $2,000 a night.
Attendees posted videos showing OpenAI-branded canvas bags, jars of honey, and a session with a beekeeper. The itinerary included lessons on the company's latest tools, including ChatGPT Work. OpenAI called the event an education-focused retreat tied to the product launch.
"Creators are an important part of our community and how people get information and learn about our products today," a spokesperson said.
The pastoral setting did not charm everyone online. Critics on Reddit, X, and TikTok questioned why a company building energy-intensive data centers was courting influencers at a nature-focused resort. "This is the proper context to use the word dystopian," one Redditor wrote.
Accusations of greenwashing spread quickly. Commenters criticized creators for promoting AI without discussing the technology's environmental impact. Journalist Taylor Lorenz wrote on X that attendees were getting "cancelled" on social media. She noted that similar criticism had not been directed at influencers attending events hosted by Anthropic, another AI lab.
OpenAI declined to say whether attendees were paid, whether the company covered travel or accommodations, or whether participants were expected to post. "We welcome healthy debate as AI becomes more prevalent, and we value creators who choose to engage with us, attend our events, ask tough questions, and learn alongside everyone else," the spokesperson said.
Grace McCarrick, a creator who attended, posted a video defending her participation. "My morals were not compromised," she said. "I am supremely excited about AI and the opportunities it offers to our species."
The backlash mirrors earlier controversies. Fast-fashion giant Shein faced fierce criticism in 2023 after flying creators to China for a tour of its facilities. Cosmetics company Tarte has repeatedly drawn backlash over lavish creator trips. For AI companies, the tension between marketing efforts and public scrutiny over energy use is growing. OpenAI and its peers are building data centers at a rapid pace, drawing concerns about rising electricity demand and water consumption. The retreat's pastoral theme collided with that reality, prompting critics to frame the event as out of touch.
No creator contacted by Business Insider responded to requests for comment. OpenAI did not answer whether the company covered travel or accommodations. The episode underscores the challenge for AI companies as they try to build goodwill with creators while managing the environmental narrative around their technology.
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