NPR Finds Little Evidence Behind Tech Billionaires' Claims That China Is Funding US Anti-Data-Center Activism

NPR investigated claims by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and tech investors that China is funding opposition to US data center construction, finding minimal corroboration. OpenAI confirmed banning Chinese accounts that used ChatGPT to generate anti-data-center content but called the campaign 'limited' and said it 'didn't get much traction'; Clemson University disinformation researcher Darren Linvill said 'we haven't found much.' A Gallup poll showing 71% of Americans already oppose local data center construction suggests organic opposition is sufficient to explain the movement without foreign funding.