A promotional trip backed by OpenAI has become a public-relations problem for an influencer who posted a video of herself running a bath at a "luxury eco-retreat" in upstate New York.
Instead of reinforcing any environmental message, Futurism reported the post led many viewers to focus on the gap between polished branding and ongoing complaints about the tech's climate impact.
Here's what to know
Grace McCarrick, an Instagram personality who specializes in speaking about soft skills, was among the creators invited on an all-expenses-paid OpenAI retreat at a luxury resort.
The backlash intensified after McCarrick shared a video of herself in a bathrobe while filling a bathtub, Futurism observed.
Many of the responses centered on how the post contrasted with concerns people have raised about data center impacts.
"Can't wait to show this to the millions of folks who are begging to not have data centers in their backyards because of air and noise pollution but your robe looks cozy," a user reacted.
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For some, the post hit home in the wrong way.
"The Effingham residents in my state of Georgia are about to lose a lot of potable water," another wrote. "But glad you go to unwind while we all protest this monstrosity."
McCarrick responded to the criticism on LinkedIn.
"I genuinely had no idea that people were this anti-AI," she wrote. "If I had, I probably wouldn't have made a video talking about the trip while running a bath…"
The post got very defensive from there. It engaged in whataboutism that included calling out critics for everything from owning smartphones to using social media and eating meat.
More background
Communities have pushed back against data center development over concerns about freshwater consumption, air pollution, noise, and the strain such massive facilities can put on local resources.
For critics, the "eco-retreat" branding was especially inflammatory. When a company connected to energy-intensive AI systems wraps itself in spa luxury and environmental messaging, many people do not see a simple marketing mistake. They see greenwashing that glosses over real harms affecting nearby residents.
OpenAI appears to understand that it has a public image problem. As AI critic and journalist Paris Marx told CBC, the company is "very aware" of how it is perceived, which he said helps explain its efforts to get influencers to "say good things about their products."
For people living near proposed or expanding data centers, the debate is far from theoretical. It is about whether their communities will have a meaningful voice in what gets built around them.
What's being done?
One response is already taking shape in increased public scrutiny that extends to influencers and celebrities.
Tech companies often rely on sleek messaging to make growth seem harmless or inevitable. Public criticism can make it harder to dismiss the communities raising concerns about water withdrawals, pollution, and quality of life.
At the local level, residents are protesting facilities and warning about threats to potable water, as comments from people in Georgia made clear. Online, critics are using posts like this as moments of accountability rather than allowing them to serve as free advertising.
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