China's AI Buildout Campaign Exposed at Congressional Hearing

A congressional hearing revealed that China is using bot networks and state media to shape public opinion against American artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, testified before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee that Beijing has launched complex campaigns to turn American public opinion against AI and data centers.

The social media platform X disclosed a network of about 200,000 suspected fake accounts from China in August, with around 200 of those accounts allegedly carrying messages opposing US data centres.

Lyman alleged that Chinese state media had promoted similar arguments to American audiences while Beijing subsidised up to half of the energy costs incurred by AI data centres in China.