OpenAI faced online criticism after taking a group of influencers to a luxury retreat in upstate New York, dubbed “Summer Club,” where creators participated in farm-to-table dinners, wellness activities, and training sessions on using OpenAI’s products, including its newly released ChatGPT Work tool. Several influencers who posted about the trip received critical comments questioning the optics of luxury branding tied to AI, with some users referencing concerns about AI data centers’ environmental impact.
OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the event was part of a broader, education-focused marketing effort to help creators understand practical uses of ChatGPT and share that knowledge with their audiences, describing creators as an important part of how people learn about OpenAI’s products. The company hired former Instagram executive Charles Porch earlier this year as its first VP of global creative partnerships to strengthen ties with creator communities.
Other AI companies have run similar influencer events, including a reported Anthropic dinner for Claude and a Microsoft Copilot trip to the Super Bowl, though neither drew comparable backlash. Critics pointed to the timing of OpenAI’s trip alongside its reported $500 billion Ohio data center deal and existing Department of Defense contract, arguing the retreat’s luxury setting contrasted poorly with broader public concerns about AI’s environmental and social impact.
