X reveals foreign adversary behind fake accounts disseminating anti-data center messaging
X (formerly Twitter) uncovered a Chinese influence operation involving a bot farm of approximately 200,000 accounts, with 200 specifically targeting US AI and energy policy. These accounts disseminated anti-data center messaging, claiming they drive up electricity prices and strain the grid. The operation aims to manipulate public debate in the US, with mentions of New York enacting a freeze on new AI data centers.
The social media platform X has revealed a Chinese influence operation involving a bot farm of approximately 200,000 accounts, with a subset of 200 accounts specifically targeting U.S. artificial intelligence and energy policy. According to a post from the X Global Government Affairs account, these inauthentic accounts disseminated anti-data center messaging, alleging that AI data centers inflate household electricity prices and strain the power grid.
The posts included AI-generated cartoons depicting data center operators profiting at the public's expense. X stated its commitment to maintaining an open and authentic platform and indicated that accounts violating its Authenticity policy would be suspended. The discovery comes amid ongoing debate in the U.S. regarding data centers' environmental impacts and energy consumption in local communities.
The article also references past statements from public figures, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who expressed concerns about hyperscale data centers, and former President Donald Trump, who urged communities to welcome AI data centers to prevent the U.S. from falling behind China in technological advancements. New York State was also cited as the first state to implement a freeze on new AI data centers, reflecting the growing regulatory scrutiny in the sector.