China is spreading anti-data centre propaganda – Elon Musk’s X alleges

Elon Musk’s X has accused China of spreading anti-data centre propaganda online, alleging that a network of inauthentic Chinese accounts was being used to influence debate over artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States.

According to X, its safety team investigated accounts that were circulating negative claims about AI data centres and identified a bot farm containing around 200,000 accounts. The company said approximately 200 of those accounts were posting in a coordinated manner that could manipulate legitimate debate about US AI and energy policy.

The posts reportedly claimed that AI data centres were driving up household electricity prices and placing additional strain on the power grid. Some accounts also shared AI-generated cartoons portraying data centre operators as profiting at the public’s expense.

The allegations come as data centres have become an increasingly controversial issue in the US, amid the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. Critics have raised concerns about the enormous amounts of electricity required to operate the facilities, as well as their impact on household energy bills.

There have also been growing concerns over the amount of water used to cool data centre servers, while residents in areas targeted for new facilities have complained about noise and potential environmental damage. Recent polling reportedly found that seven in 10 Americans oppose having a data centre built in their local area. The backlash is not limited to the US. In the UK, residents in data centre hubs such as Slough have also voiced opposition to further development.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski this week called for a moratorium on approving new data centres, citing concerns over their environmental impact. “We need to slam the brakes on these energy-guzzling, water-guzzling data centres,” Polanski told the BBC, arguing that the expansion of such facilities was particularly concerning during drought conditions.

X’s allegations highlight the broader rivalry between the US and China over artificial intelligence. Both countries are investing heavily in AI for commercial and consumer applications, as well as military uses including autonomous drones and battlefield decision-making systems.

China’s own data centre industry is also expected to consume substantially more electricity in the coming years. Forecasts from Wood Mackenzie indicate that China’s data centre energy consumption could quadruple by the end of the decade, eventually exceeding the amount of electricity South Korea currently uses.

X said it remained committed to maintaining an “open and authentic platform” for public debate and that it would suspend accounts found to violate its authenticity policies. The allegation also follows a separate report from OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, which concluded that China was likely behind an online campaign designed to influence American views on AI and data centres.