OpenAI says China-based actors stoking opposition to AI data centres
OpenAI has reported that China-based actors likely used ChatGPT for covert influence operations to stir opposition to AI data centers in the United States. These actors created social media content and images, including a comic strip, to blame data centers for rising electricity prices and to frame US tariffs as an effort to dominate technological competition with China. OpenAI banned a cluster of these accounts, noting the campaign sought to exploit existing public concerns about energy prices but found no evidence of significant influence. The Chinese embassy in Washington denied knowledge of the report and stated opposition to groundless attacks. This follows similar concerns raised by US officials about foreign influence potentially fueling opposition to data center construction.