OpenAI says China-based actors stoking opposition to AI data centres | Technology

OpenAI says China-based actors stoking opposition to AI data centres | Technology

June 11, 2026 discoverhiddenusacom Entertainment

OpenAI has identified and banned a cluster of accounts originating from China that were used to conduct covert influence operations targeting the American debate over data centers. According to a research report released by the San Francisco-based company on Wednesday, these accounts generated social media content and images designed to blame data centers for rising electricity costs, while also attempting to influence discourse regarding US trade tariffs.

Did You Know? Data centers are increasingly under scrutiny due to their energy footprint; the facilities accounted for 1.5 percent of global electricity use in 2024, with consumption growing by 12 percent annually over the last five years.

How the influence campaign operated

The campaign sought to exploit existing public concerns regarding energy prices to amplify division, according to OpenAI. Among the tactics employed, the accounts created a comic strip featuring a businessman holding bags of money while a family reacted to an expensive electricity bill. Another cluster of accounts generated content framing US tariffs as a move to dominate technological competition, with specific instructions to avoid mentioning Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

How the influence campaign operated

Is the influence campaign effective?

OpenAI stated that it found no evidence the campaign had a “meaningful” influence on public discourse. Darren Linvill, a professor at Clemson University who studies foreign influence, echoed this assessment. Linvill noted that while the quality of AI-generated influence work is improving, current efforts have not yet impacted the “volume or tone” of American debate.

Expert Insight: The intersection of foreign influence and domestic infrastructure debates presents a complex challenge. While current evidence suggests these specific digital campaigns have yet to shift public opinion significantly, the attempt to insert foreign-generated content into localized economic debates indicates a shift in how international actors may try to leverage AI to capitalize on existing social tensions.

What happens next for US data centers?

Public opposition to data centers is already rising, with at least 36 projects blocked or delayed between May 2024 and June 2025, according to Data Center Watch. While some lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have proposed legislation to pause new data center construction until national safeguards are in place, analysts expect little change in the near term. This is largely attributed to President Donald Trump’s laissez-faire approach to AI regulation and the current Republican control of Congress.

OpenAI says China-based actors stoking opposition to AI data centres

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the goal of the Chinese-based accounts?
According to OpenAI, the accounts aimed to manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI by stoking opposition to data centers and influencing perceptions of US trade tariffs.

How did the Chinese embassy respond to the report?
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC, stated they were not familiar with the report but opposed “any groundless attacks or smears against China,” noting that the country believes in a people-centered approach to AI.

Have government officials commented on foreign influence regarding data centers?
Yes. In May, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum stated that negative public sentiment toward data center construction is not always “organic” and may be linked to “foreign-sourced dark money.”

Do you believe that public concern over energy consumption is the primary driver of opposition to new technology infrastructure, or are other factors playing a larger role?

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