OpenAI has stated that China-based actors are likely behind the use of ChatGPT for “covert influence operations” aimed at stoking opposition to data centers in the United States.

In a research report released Wednesday, the company behind the world’s most popular AI chatbot said it banned a cluster of accounts, likely based in China, for attempting to “manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI.”

The accounts generated social media comments and images blaming data centers for rising electricity prices in US communities. Among the content was a comic strip depicting a cigar-chomping businessman holding money bags as a family reacts in shock to their electricity bill, according to the San Francisco-based company.

OpenAI also identified a second cluster of accounts that produced content portraying US tariffs as an effort to “dominate technological competition” with China, with instructions not to mention Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

While the campaign sought to “exploit and amplify existing public concerns” about energy prices, OpenAI found no evidence of “meaningful” influence. The company noted that foreign influence operations have long tried to latch onto local issues to build credibility.

China’s embassy in Washington said it was not familiar with the report but opposed “any groundless attacks or smears against China.” A spokesperson emphasized China’s people-centered approach to AI and advocacy for openness.

Clemson University professor Darren Linvill expressed doubt about the campaign’s effectiveness, stating that Chinese AI influence operations have been “interesting but not effective,” though he expressed concern about future capabilities. Opposition to data centers in the US has grown, with at least 36 projects blocked or delayed between May 2024 and June 2025.

Source: www.aljazeera.com