OpenAI has taken a handful of influencers to a luxury retreat in upstate New York, sparking immediate criticism.
The event, branded as Summer Club, took place over the weekend. Guests enjoyed farm-to-table meals, beekeeping sessions, and instruction on the company’s tools. One attendee shared a clip of herself building a website. Another posted a photo of a brochure for a painting workshop.
The resulting videos were polished and cheerful. The comments section, however, was hostile. Viewers suggested one creator had sold her soul for accommodation. Others questioned why she was promoting the brand when data centres contribute to environmental damage.
Another influencer was asked if she would do a get-ready-with-me video touring a data centre. A third guest told TechCrunch she had deleted the video about the trip but kept posts that did not explicitly link them to the OpenAI event.
The strategy behind the trip
It is standard practice for tech firms to offer luxury travel to secure influencer partnerships. In February, Vanity Fair reported that OpenAI hired Charles Porch as its first vice president of global creative partnerships. He previously held the same role at Instagram.
Porch stated his job was to speak with creative communities to understand how to build better products. He planned to conduct a listening tour to learn more about how people relate to AI tools.
Other AI labs have hosted similar events. Anthropic reportedly held a dinner for its Claude model. In February, Microsoft Copilot hosted an influencer trip to the Super Bowl, according to the newsletter Sarah and Kate.
None of these previous trips generated as much friction. One influencer wrote on LinkedIn that she expected people to want behind-the-scenes tips. She did not anticipate such strong opposition to AI.
What the critics say
TechCrunch spoke to a person who left a negative comment on the influencer’s video. The commenter noted that many Americans hold a negative view of the technology. She argued that responsible use requires conversation, not luxury events.
“These posh influencers events are, again, giving people ammunition to have negative opinions,” she said. “The world is on fire. It’s not a great time to brag about your $5,000-a-night suite.”
The timing added fuel to the fire. OpenAI is set to sign a $500 billion deal to build a data centre in Ohio. This announcement coincides with growing concern over the socio-ecological impact of such facilities. The irony of a nature-based retreat did not escape observers.
Other commenters pointed to OpenAI’s $200 million contract with the Department of Defense as another source of anger.
TechCrunch has contacted the influencers for comment. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
