OpenAI has banned accounts from two influence operations that used AI to meddle in US tech policy discussions. In both cases, the company assessed the activity as likely originating from the PRC, and it says the campaigns were disrupted.
The first operation, dubbed "Tech and Tariffs," used AI to produce comments and cartoons about US tech policy, tariffs, and trade restrictions. The second, "Data Center Bandwagon," generated social media content critical of US data centers and AI infrastructure. The two campaigns share a common origin and method, but differ in subject matter and content format: one leaned on comments and cartoons, the other on broader social media posts.
OpenAI's takedowns highlight how AI tools are being repurposed for covert influence activity, even as the same tools are used to detect and block such operations. The reports also show that influence efforts are adapting to target the infrastructure and trade rules that underpin the AI industry itself.