China Didn’t Make Americans Hate Data Centers
Right-wing officials and data center investors are increasingly claiming that opposition to data center development in the US is being influenced by the Chinese government, a narrative amplified by a recent OpenAI report on Chinese-origin accounts. However, experts are skeptical of direct Chinese funding, suggesting any foreign interference likely adds to existing domestic tensions. Polling indicates strong American support for a moratorium on data center development amidst this rising local opposition.
Right-wing officials and data center investors in the United States are increasingly asserting that the growing opposition to data center development is being funded and influenced by the Chinese government. This discourse gained traction after OpenAI released a report detailing Chinese-origin social media accounts allegedly spreading anti-data-center messages.
Experts interviewed by WIRED express skepticism regarding these direct funding claims, suggesting that any foreign interference likely exacerbates pre-existing local tensions around data centers and artificial intelligence in the US. This national debate unfolds amidst a significant rise in local opposition, with recent polls from Heatmap indicating that over half of Americans support a moratorium on data center development, and a Public First poll revealing US support for data centers as the lowest among 15 surveyed countries.
The narrative of Chinese interference has intensified in Washington, DC, with Senator Tom Cotton (R) sending a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting an investigation into alleged foreign influence campaigns led by the Chinese Communist Party. Similarly, Republican leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have voiced concerns to the White House and the FBI, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has spoken publicly about foreign propaganda targeting data center initiatives. Investor Kevin O’Leary, who is developing a large data center in Utah, has also cited a report from the Bitcoin Policy Institute to support claims of foreign influence on opposition to his project.
However, social media analytics company Graphika, which has monitored data center opposition for a year, reports no evidence of organized, scaled foreign influence operations, with minor exceptions possibly for monetization. OpenAI’s report also noted no "meaningful breakout" of the anti-data-center messaging it flagged. Experts on China and AI from institutions like the Brookings Institution and Stanford University further questioned the direct involvement of Beijing in US data center discourse, noting that Chinese state media often reports on US-based storylines and that academic exchanges are common.