Claims of Foreign Influence Raise Stakes in U.S.-China AI Race

As the United States and China compete for dominance in artificial intelligence, a new controversy has emerged over one of the most important pieces of AI infrastructure: data centers. Republican lawmakers, pro-AI organizations, and industry advocates are increasingly arguing that foreign actors, particularly those connected to China, may be helping fuel grassroots opposition to data center construction across the United States. Their concern is simple. If data center projects are delayed, restricted, or canceled, America’s ability to develop advanced AI systems could suffer.

These claims come at a time when public resistance to data centers is growing. Communities across the country have raised concerns about electricity consumption, water use, noise, environmental impacts, and changes to local quality of life. Critics insist their opposition is genuine and locally driven. Supporters of AI development, however, believe foreign influence campaigns may be amplifying those concerns to slow American technological progress.

Why Data Centers Matter in the AI Competition

Modern artificial intelligence depends on enormous computing power. That computing power is housed inside data centers, which contain thousands of servers used to train and operate AI models.

Supporters of rapid AI expansion argue that data centers have become strategic national assets. President Donald Trump has repeatedly framed AI development as a global competition that America must win. According to Trump, “America is the country that started the AI race,” and the United States “will not allow any foreign nation to beat us.”

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky has made a similar argument. He says the United States is “locked in a race with China to innovate and lead the world in the development of Artificial Intelligence technologies.” From this perspective, anything that slows the construction of data centers could weaken America’s economic and national security position.

The allegations are coming from several different sources.

Among the most prominent is Brett Guthrie, who has led congressional efforts to investigate whether foreign adversaries are influencing public opinion about data centers. Guthrie, joined by Representatives John Joyce of Pennsylvania and Bob Latta of Ohio, sent a letter to federal officials requesting information about possible foreign influence campaigns targeting AI infrastructure.

Guthrie argues that evidence exists suggesting Chinese Communist Party-linked entities and other foreign adversaries may be attempting to shape public attitudes toward data center projects. He has called for briefings from federal agencies and wants the administration to determine whether foreign actors are trying to undermine American AI development.

Another prominent voice is Chuck Flint, executive director of the Coalition for Affordability & Prosperity. Flint has become one of the strongest advocates for investigating the issue. He formally asked congressional intelligence committee leaders to investigate what he describes as foreign interference designed to slow or “decelerate” data center construction.

According to Flint and his allies, social media campaigns containing misleading or exaggerated claims about data centers deserve serious scrutiny because of their potential impact on national competitiveness.

What Is Power The Future Saying?

A major source cited by lawmakers is a report from Power The Future, an advocacy organization focused on energy policy.

According to descriptions of the report, Power The Future alleges that donors and organizations with foreign ties have directed money through networks of nonprofits and advocacy groups that have been active in opposition to data center development. The report argues that these funding relationships deserve greater scrutiny because they may help explain coordinated opposition campaigns appearing in multiple parts of the country.

Importantly, even supporters of the report acknowledge that it does not establish direct coordination between the Chinese government and specific anti-data-center protests. Instead, the report points to funding relationships, overlapping messaging, and ideological alignment among various organizations and activists.

The Role of Social Media

Pro-AI groups say they have tracked numerous social media posts originating outside the United States that criticize data centers and AI development. Examples cited include accounts located in South Asia, Africa, Bangladesh, Poland, and North Africa.

These posts focus on familiar criticisms of the industry, including job losses, water consumption, electricity usage, rising utility costs, and environmental concerns. Industry advocates argue that while some of these concerns reflect genuine public debate, foreign actors may be exploiting them to intensify opposition.

Steve DelBianco, president and CEO of the technology trade association NetChoice, argues that public anxiety about AI makes Americans particularly vulnerable to misinformation campaigns. According to DelBianco, existing fears about AI create fertile ground for disinformation regarding data centers and their impact on communities.

Critics Reject the Allegations

Not everyone accepts the foreign influence theory.

Anti-data-center activists insist that opposition is genuine and community-driven. Elena Schlossberg, a Virginia-based activist, told Axios that she knows the movement is organic because she regularly speaks with residents around the country who are concerned about industrial development in their communities.

Environmental groups have also pushed back. Tim Donaghy of Greenpeace USA argued that corporations often point to outside agitators when facing legitimate criticism. Opponents say the industry’s attempt to blame foreign actors risks ignoring real concerns about infrastructure expansion, energy consumption, and environmental impacts.

Public opinion data suggests those concerns are widespread. One Gallup survey found that 71 percent of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their communities. In Virginia, support reportedly fell from 69 percent in 2023 to 35 percent in 2026. These numbers indicate that opposition cannot be explained solely by foreign influence.

Why China Might Benefit

Supporters of the investigation argue that China’s motives are straightforward.

If American data center construction slows, AI development could slow as well. Since data centers provide the computing power necessary for training and running advanced AI models, delays in infrastructure development could reduce America’s ability to compete with China in emerging technologies.

Supporters of this view point to statements from administration officials such as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who warned that communities considering data center projects are being “bombarded with foreign-directed propaganda” designed to block development. Burgum characterized the effort as another attack on American competitiveness.

Lawmakers supporting the investigation believe foreign adversaries understand how important data centers have become to economic growth, military capabilities, technological leadership, and national security.

What Happens Next?

The issue is now moving into Washington.

Congressional Republicans are seeking briefings from federal agencies and want greater visibility into possible foreign influence operations targeting AI infrastructure. Brett Guthrie and his colleagues have asked the administration to explain what steps are being taken to investigate and counter these efforts. They argue that Americans deserve to know who may be funding campaigns that could affect critical infrastructure investments.

Whether investigators ultimately find evidence of significant foreign involvement remains to be seen. What is already clear is that the battle over data centers has become about much more than local zoning disputes. It has become part of a larger debate over artificial intelligence, national security, energy policy, and America’s technological competition with China. If data center construction becomes increasingly difficult, many AI advocates believe the consequences could extend far beyond individual communities and affect the future trajectory of American innovation itself.