China Didn't Make Americans Hate Data Centers

Overview

As US opposition to data centers grows, a claim has spread in Washington that China is secretly funding the backlash. WIRED reports that experts who study China and AI are skeptical of those claims, saying domestic US actors are driving the anti-data-center conversation. Analysts found little evidence of organized foreign influence operations, though they note foreign actors could amplify the existing, largely homegrown tensions over time.

Key Takeaways

Local US opposition to data centers has risen sharply, with more than half of Americans supporting a moratorium on new development, according to a Heatmap poll.
Republican lawmakers, including Senator Tom Cotton, have asked for investigations into alleged Chinese Communist Party influence on data center opposition.
Graphika says it has not seen organized, scaled influence operations traceable to a foreign actor, and that domestic US actors lead the conversation.
A Bitcoin Policy Institute report alleging Chinese funding is a key source of the right-wing claims, but China and AI experts dispute its conclusions.
OpenAI flagged ChatGPT-generated anti-data-center images but found no evidence of meaningful breakout of that messaging.
Experts caution that even if opposition began organically, foreign actors could intervene later, making it worth tracking.

Stats & Key Facts

#More than half of Americans support a moratorium on data center development, per a Heatmap poll.
#US support for data centers was the lowest of 15 countries surveyed by Public First.
#Kevin O'Leary used a Bitcoin Policy Institute graphic in a May video about his Utah data center project.

Rising Opposition to Data Centers

Public sentiment has turned sharply against new development.

›Local opposition to data centers in the US has risen in recent months.
›A Heatmap poll released last week shows more than half of Americans support a moratorium on data center development.
›Public First polling from early June found US support for data centers was the lowest of 15 countries surveyed.

The Claim That China Is Behind It

A narrative blaming Beijing has gained traction in Washington.

›Republican senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to acting attorney general Todd Blanche seeking an investigation into foreign influence 'led by the Chinese Communist Party.'
›House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans sent a separate letter to the White House and FBI about foreign campaigns targeting data center development.
›Interior secretary Doug Burgum told Fox Business that places trying to build data centers are 'getting bombarded' with foreign propaganda.

Data center developers have promoted these ideas too. Canadian investor Kevin O'Leary, developing a controversial data center in Utah, used a graphic from a Bitcoin Policy Institute report in a May video claiming foreign influence was fueling opposition to his project.

What the Analysts Found

Researchers tracking the issue saw little organized foreign activity.

›Graphika has tracked data center opposition on Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok for the past year.
›Analyst Dina Sadek says the company has not yet seen organized or scaled influence operations traceable to a foreign actor, with two exceptions.
›Sadek says domestic US actors are leading the online anti-data-center conversation.

The two exceptions are a cross-platform network of accounts using AI-generated avatars that sporadically mention US tech companies, and some Facebook pages posting anti-data-center images generated with AI, often run by administrators in Bangladesh that may exist only for monetization.

The OpenAI Report

OpenAI documented AI-generated images but limited reach.

›OpenAI's report includes ChatGPT-generated anti-data-center images it says were used to amplify public concerns about energy prices and local impacts.
›The company found no evidence of meaningful breakout of the anti-data-center messaging from the flagged accounts.
›OpenAI says the activity matters because it shows PRC-origin operators testing narratives against AI infrastructure.

Questioning the Bitcoin Policy Institute Report

The report behind many claims faces expert pushback.

›The report alleges nonprofit funding connects anti-data-center efforts to foreign funders, including the Chinese Communist Party.
›It says Chinese state media is openly campaigning against US AI data centers, citing stories also covered by international outlets.
›Author Sam Lyman said he began looking into the issue after an April AI safety event featuring Senator Bernie Sanders and four experts, calling it 'such an obvious psyop.'

Kyle Chan of the Brookings Institution noted that high-level US-China discussions have happened before on issues like climate change, and that prominent Chinese AI voices are naturally in contact with their government. Graham Webster of Stanford said the report's signs do not match documented Chinese influence campaigns, adding it is normal for English-language Chinese media to pick up storylines already in US media.

What Experts Say Could Happen Next

Skepticism comes with a note of caution.

›Both Chan and Webster said Chinese actors have previously amplified social issues already causing unrest in the US, such as protests over Gaza.
›Lyman acknowledged that local communities have legitimate questions and concerns about AI and data center development.
›Even if opposition began organically, experts say there is a strong chance foreign actors could intervene sooner rather than later.

Chan said the OpenAI report fits a broader pattern of Chinese state media and connected actors amplifying legitimate US grievances to make the US look bad, but urged caution in estimating the impact before more evidence emerges.

Separating Signal From Narrative

The experts draw a line between real grievances and political framing.

›Webster said the report calls out actions and signs that do not match documented cases of known Chinese influence campaigns.
›He noted it is normal for English-language Chinese media to pick up storylines already running in US media, which is how wire services work.
›Chan said prominent Chinese AI figures are, almost by definition, the people who would attend high-level discussions, so their presence at events can sound ominous without being one.

Taken together, the experts' comments suggest the China-funding narrative outpaces the available evidence. They point to genuine local concerns about energy prices and the impacts of data center development as the main driver of opposition, while acknowledging that foreign amplification of organic US tensions has happened before and could recur. The result is a call to keep tracking the issue without overstating any current foreign role.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is China funding US opposition to data centers?

Experts who study China and AI are skeptical of that claim, and analysts say domestic US actors are leading the anti-data-center conversation.

How strong is US opposition to data centers?

A Heatmap poll found more than half of Americans support a moratorium on development, and Public First found US support was the lowest of 15 countries surveyed.

Who is making the Chinese-influence claims?

Republican lawmakers like Senator Tom Cotton, interior secretary Doug Burgum, and a Bitcoin Policy Institute report are key sources of the claims.

What did Graphika and OpenAI find?

Graphika found no organized foreign operations traceable to a foreign actor beyond minor exceptions, and OpenAI found no meaningful breakout of anti-data-center messaging from flagged accounts.

Could foreign actors still get involved?

Experts say that even though the opposition appears largely organic, there is a strong chance foreign actors could intervene later, so it is worth tracking.

The evidence so far points to homegrown US frustration driving data center opposition, even as officials warn of possible foreign amplification down the line.