X's Global Government Affairs team reported on Thursday that it had identified several hundred accounts believed to have connections to China that were amplifying content opposed to artificial intelligence data centres. The network comprised approximately 200,000 fraudulent profiles, with around 200 directed at influencing discussions on artificial intelligence infrastructure by circulating notices about rising energy costs and imagery depicting corporate harm to local communities. X Global Government noted in a platform post that it removes accounts breaching its Authenticity policy and treats efforts to compromise platform integrity as a priority.
Certain analysts interpreted the findings as evidence that Chinese-linked influence operations were shaping public attitudes toward data centres, an issue that has grown increasingly contentious across the country.
In June, Utah illustrated how data centres can shape electoral outcomes, after opposition to a proposed facility in Box Elder County played a role in the defeat of state Senate President Stuart Adams. Despite receiving early and widespread support from Utah's top officials, including the governor and Under Governor Spencer Cox, the "Stratos Project" drew scrutiny over its water and energy demands, as well as a lack of transparency in how decisions were being made. A poll conducted around the time of Adams's removal from office found that 26% of respondents expressed support for the data centre he had fast-tracked through the approval process, with 60% indicating opposition.
Opposition to data centres extends beyond regions where such developments have attracted public attention. According to an Economist/YouGov Poll, roughly a quarter of Americans view new data centre construction favourably, while nearly half hold an unfavourable view.
Certain data centre advocates, among them Kevin O'Leary, the investor behind the Stratos Project, have attributed community opposition to Chinese interference, arguing that delays to American AI advancement serve Beijing's interests. Former Rep. Chris Stewart, who established the nonprofit Public First Action following his tenure on the House Intelligence Committee, stated that available evidence points to a coordinated online effort originating in China to discourage data centre construction, adding that the number of accounts involved could be far higher than 200 — potentially reaching 200,000 — and that the strategy appeared designed to turn public opinion against the computing infrastructure underpinning AI development.
Power consumption at data centres accounts for a substantial share of global electricity use. Plans for the largest AI model training facilities call for up to 10 gigawatts of power consumption — a figure that exceeds twice the combined peak electricity load of Utah. Several other states are now examining legislation modelled on Utah's approach, which would require data centres to generate power independently on their premises — a policy that analysts say could bring down electricity costs for households as overall supply increases.
Both the United States and China are competing to lead in artificial intelligence development, a rivalry that some officials have framed in terms of technological dominance and that has elevated AI to a prominent place in national security discussions.
Taylor Barkley, director of federal government affairs at Abundance Institute, cautioned that industry leaders and policymakers ought to take public reservations about data centre expansion at face value, rather than attributing them solely to foreign influence campaigns, noting that online discourse around the issue reflects genuine community concerns about noise and construction disruption that go beyond any single political narrative. A number of objections, including those relating to water consumption, have been disputed as either outdated or factually incorrect by some parties, though others maintain they remain valid.
A number of states, including New York and Pennsylvania, have placed limitations on the development of data centres. Barkley argued that those who support data centres ought to do more to communicate their value to the public, pointing to AI's potential to streamline areas ranging from healthcare advancement to entrepreneurship.
Although the United States holds a prominent position in AI software development, the underlying computer hardware infrastructure has not advanced at a comparable pace. As more computing resources are allocated to training artificial intelligence systems, the underlying capabilities are expected to advance.
Stewart advised that attributing voter anxieties solely to Chinese interference would be an error on the part of both developers and policymakers. O'Leary pursued that approach and subsequently faced lawsuits from the nonprofit organisations he had claimed were receiving Chinese funding, while Stewart noted that dismissing a community's concerns by attributing them entirely to foreign influence was unlikely to be an effective strategy. Stewart also noted that some of those concerns have merit.
