Bitcoin Policy Institute Report Traces Foreign Influence Campaign Against U.S. AI Infrastructure
A new report from the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) alleges a foreign influence campaign, linked to CCP state media and foreign dark money, is aiming to halt US AI data center construction. The campaign exploits legitimate local concerns about water, energy, and grid capacity while advocating for a federal moratorium on AI data centers. The report urges policymakers to increase transparency regarding foreign funding in policy advocacy.
The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) released a new report on May 18, 2026, documenting a sophisticated foreign influence campaign aimed at slowing U.S. artificial intelligence development. The report, which traces connections from Beijing’s state media through a CCP-aligned nonprofit network to foreign-billionaire dark money, highlights efforts to push for a federal moratorium on AI data centers in the United States.
Sam Lyman, Head of Policy at BPI, emphasized the critical need for U.S. policymakers to prioritize AI safety and empower American workers, while cautioning against geopolitical rivals, particularly China, influencing the AI safety discourse. Lyman noted that China has publicly declared its intent to accelerate AI development to gain global technological initiative, making it crucial to filter foreign influence from the American policy debate.
The report acknowledges genuine American concerns regarding water use, energy costs, and grid capacity associated with data centers. However, it argues that effective local deliberation on these issues is undermined when the funding and influence behind advocacy campaigns remain opaque. To address this, BPI recommends that Congress enact legislation requiring public disclosure of foreign-source funding into U.S. 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) policy advocacy groups. It also advises the Treasury and FBI to address the non-registration of the Singham network under FARA, and for state and local policymakers to ensure complete transparency regarding funding sources for organizations involved in data center decisions.