Experts Doubt Claims That China Is Funding US Data Center Protests
Right-wing officials and investors accuse China of backing data center opposition, but experts say resistance is largely organic.
In recent weeks, US right-wing officials and data center investors have increasingly claimed that the Chinese government is funding and influencing protests against data center development. OpenAI added to the discourse Wednesday with a report describing Chinese-origin accounts spreading anti-data-center messages. However, experts who spoke to WIRED are skeptical of these funding claims.
Local opposition to data centers in the US has surged. A poll by climate outlet Heatmap found that over half of Americans support a moratorium on data center construction. Separate polling from UK-based Public First showed the US had the lowest support for data centers among 15 countries surveyed.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to the acting attorney general requesting an investigation into Chinese influence. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican leaders also sent a letter to the White House and FBI. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox Business that areas trying to build data centers are “getting bombarded” with foreign propaganda.
Social media analytics firm Graphika tracked data center opposition across platforms for the past year. Analyst Dina Sadek said the company found “no evidence of organized or scaled influence operations” from foreign actors, except for two minor cases: a cross-platform network of AI-generated avatars and some Facebook pages with Bangladeshi administrators possibly operating for monetization. “Domestic US actors are leading the online anti-data-center conversation,” Sadek stated.
OpenAI’s report included AI-generated images used to amplify existing concerns about energy and local impacts, but noted “no evidence of meaningful breakout” of the messaging.
The Bitcoin Policy Institute report, cited by investors and politicians, alleges that Chinese state media are “openly campaigning against US AI data centers.” As evidence, it points to coverage of anti-data-center trends and energy costs—topics widely covered by US and international media.
Experts like Kyle Chan of the Brookings Institution say the claims don’t match documented Chinese influence campaigns. He notes that high-level US-China discussions on global issues are normal. Stanford’s Graham Webster adds that Chinese state media picking up US media storylines is standard wire service behavior.
Both experts acknowledge that while opposition is largely organic, foreign actors may intervene in the future. OpenAI’s report says the targeting shows PRC-origin operators testing narratives against AI infrastructure. Chan cautions about overestimating impact but says it’s worth tracking.
