OpenAI: China Ran AI-Generated Campaign to Shape U.S. Data Center Debate

OpenAI researchers say China-backed operatives used ChatGPT to generate social-media content aiming to influence U.S. perceptions of AI data centers and related policy, with two clusters of China-originated accounts promoting narratives that data centers raise electricity costs and that tariffs affect tech leadership. Posts were posted by batches of accounts posing as Americans and have since been banned. While the effort reflects China’s attempt to sway the domestic debate, OpenAI found no evidence it significantly shifted public opinion. The findings feed into ongoing U.S. political and regulatory discussions about AI infrastructure, energy impacts, and national tech competition.