OpenAI has revealed that a suspected Chinese influence operation used its ChatGPT chatbot to stoke opposition to data centre development in the United States, marking a new front in the escalating battle over artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company said it detected a cluster of accounts originating from China that generated English-language social media posts criticising data centres, framing them as environmentally costly and economically burdensome. The operation, which OpenAI said appeared to have had little tangible impact, represents an ironic twist: foreign actors leveraging American AI to undermine the very industry that underpins it.

Viewed from Washington, the disclosure adds to a growing catalogue of digital influence campaigns targeting US technology policy. The accounts, likely linked to an unnamed Chinese private tech firm, sought to amplify existing domestic debates over data centre expansion, a sensitive issue in communities concerned about energy consumption and land use. Analysts in London note that the operation's timing — late 2025 and early 2026 — coincides with heightened tensions over Trump-era tariffs and broader US-China tech rivalry. The campaign also echoes similar efforts by other Chinese-linked actors to shape American discourse on AI competitiveness.

From Beijing's perspective, the Chinese embassy in Washington said it was not familiar with OpenAI's findings, though the report underscores the growing centrality of generative AI in influence operations. Unlike previous Chinese campaigns that focused on trade or pandemic narratives, this one specifically targeted the physical infrastructure of AI — data centres that are vital to US technological leadership. The operation's sophistication was limited, relying on ChatGPT to produce slogans and cartoons, but its strategic aim was clear: to erode public support for the data centre buildout that powers American AI dominance.

Looking ahead, the incident highlights a paradox at the heart of the AI era. The same tools that enable innovation also lower the barrier for foreign interference, as Ben Nimmo, OpenAI's principal investigator, noted: it is particularly ironic that the operation used American AI to attack American interests. For policymakers in Washington and Brussels, the episode reinforces the need for robust detection mechanisms and international norms around AI misuse. As data centres become the new battleground for technological supremacy, the line between genuine public debate and manufactured dissent will only grow harder to discern.