OpenAI alleges covert Chinese influence campaign targets US AI infrastructure debate
New report from OpenAI identifies two clusters of accounts attempting to manipulate public discourse on data centres, while the Chinese embassy dismisses the findings as a groundless smear.
OpenAI has released a research report alleging that actors based in China conducted covert influence operations using ChatGPT to stoke public opposition to artificial intelligence data centres in the United States. The company stated that banned accounts generated social media content blaming data centres for rising electricity prices and casting US tariffs as a move to dominate technological competition with China. OpenAI found no evidence that the campaign had a meaningful impact on public debate. The Chinese embassy in Washington denied involvement, calling the report a groundless smear. The allegations coincide with rising US opposition to data centre construction due to energy consumption concerns, with experts expressing doubt over the effectiveness of the identified influence campaign.
The San Francisco-based company identified two distinct clusters of banned accounts that attempted to manipulate the American debate on AI capabilities. One cluster generated content, including a comic strip depicting a businessman holding bags marked with dollar signs while a family reacted in shock to their electricity bill, to blame data centres for rising energy costs. A second cluster produced material framing US tariffs as an effort to dominate technological competition with China, specifically avoiding mention of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. OpenAI noted that the operators sought to hide their identity and motivations while exploiting existing public concerns about energy prices.
China’s embassy in Washington, DC, issued a statement opposing any groundless attacks or smears against China, describing the report as unfounded. An embassy spokesperson told Al Jazeera that China believes in a people-centered approach to AI and advocates for openness and inclusiveness to ensure the technology serves as a force for good. The embassy stated it was not familiar with the specific details of the report but firmly rejected the allegations of covert influence.
These claims follow similar assertions by US officials regarding foreign interference in domestic infrastructure debates. In May, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum suggested that negative sentiment towards data centres could be linked to foreign-sourced dark money. However, Darren Linvill, a professor at Clemson University who studies foreign influence campaigns, expressed scepticism that the identified campaign would significantly alter the volume or tone of public debate. Linvill noted that while Chinese AI work is improving, it has not yet been effective, and questioned the strategic logic of using OpenAI’s platform for such operations.
The allegations emerge against a backdrop of intensifying resistance to data centre construction across the United States. Data Center Watch reported that at least 36 projects were blocked or delayed between May 2024 and June 2025. Opposition has been driven by the significant energy demands of facilities required to train and run AI models, with the International Energy Agency reporting that data centres accounted for 1.5 percent of global electricity use in 2024. Despite legislation proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a moratorium on new centres, such measures face low chances of passing under the current US administration.
