X Dismantles Suspected China-Linked Bot Farm Targeting AI Data-Center Debate

X’s Global Government Affairs team said it identified and disrupted a suspected China-linked inauthentic network comprising roughly 200,000 accounts. About 200 accounts allegedly sought to manipulate U.S. discussion of AI data centers, electricity pricing, grid capacity, and energy policy; X suspended accounts found to violate its Authenticity policy.

The accounts used American-sounding identities, links to legitimate news reports, inflammatory commentary, and AI-generated anti-data-center cartoons to amplify claims that AI facilities raise household power bills, overload electrical grids, and benefit operators at the public’s expense. X has not identified a sponsor or provided definitive public attribution beyond suspected Chinese operators, while concerns about data-center development also reflect legitimate local economic and environmental opposition.