PRC-linked influence operations are targeting AI debates in the US

OpenAI said it banned two China-linked covert influence operations that used ChatGPT to generate social media comments, images, and political cartoons aimed at inflaming US public debates over AI data centers and trade tariffs. Both campaigns scored Category One, the lowest tier on OpenAI's Breakout Scale, meaning they stayed on a single platform and reached no genuine audience. The findings, published June 10, 2026, show how state-linked actors are testing AI tools to manufacture political content cheaply, even when the real-world reach stays small.