China Spending Billions to Stop AI, Data Centers in U.S.

NewsMax ^ | 09/13/2026 | Paul Bond

[thegagline]

While China has been pouring billions into its own AI infrastructure and expansion, it may also be funding an equally expensive influence campaign here in the U.S. to oppose the building of data centers — critical to advancing the technology.

*** While China is massively expanding their AI industry growing evidence indicates they are pushing misinformation campaigns in the U.S. with the goal of stopping or delaying the build out of data centers. These centers are massive computing factories with significant energy and water needs that are key to running AI systems like Grok***

The data centers have become a focal point for supporters and opponents of the new technology.

In April Sen. Bernie Sanders convened his own panel*** to discuss "the existential threat of AI," claiming "the richest, most powerful people in the world are now building a runaway train with no brakes." Sanders did not hide China’s interest in stopping U.S. AI development. He asked two senior Chinese officials to host the panel with him.

*** The far left is unequivocally seeking to completely stop U.S. advancement. Earlier this year Sanders, along with fellow Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act. The bill would freeze all new U.S. construction of AI datacenters.

President Donald Trump and others have been counterpunching in what they see an undue foreign influence over a critical technology for U.S. security and economic interests.

*** Sam Lyman, ***a former senior advisor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, traces three interlocking vectors: Chinese state media propaganda; a U.S.-based nonprofit network bankrolled by Neville Roy Singham, a Shanghai-based American with ties to the Chinese Communist Party; and more than $2 billion in dark money from foreign billionaires routed into the very groups now demanding moratoriums.***

---

TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: ai; asymmetrical; china; datacenters

[thegagline]

There are some here that have taken up the Anti-AI/Data Center cause. I wonder if they are paid in renminbi or are just useful idiots.

[srmanuel]

I would very seriously into the latest people who have recently left AI companies and given public interviews where they said AI will kill all of us unless it’s stopped.

AI executives have done themselves no favors with the public, basically talking down to them as if we should always listen to our AI overlords.

I’ve said on other threads on FR that if anything we should speed up the development of AI instead of slowing down or stopping development.

[Vigilanteman]

The stupid runs deep in the NIMBY crowd.

That being said, those locating the centers could do a better job of overcoming the NIMBY crowd opposition such as greatly reduced of subsidized electrical service and/or internet within x miles of a pending data center location.

At some point, you would get neighborhoods competing to attract data centers rather than the usual NIMBY opposition.

[Mr. Mojo]

<< There are some here that have taken up the Anti-AI/Data Center cause. I wonder if they are paid in renminbi or are just useful idiots. >>

Impressionable fools.

[Vigilanteman]

. . . greatly reduced ofor subsidized . . .. . . Corrected! Sorry.

[Theoria]

These are private companies, they have no allegiance to anyone, correct? What is the end goal? These datacenters aren't collectively trying to achieve anything, they are often independent and unrelated tasks at hand to achieve a result for their products.

A ccp member in China can use datacenters in the US, there aren't limitations on whats going on for most models. His locality doesn't suffer from higher electric bills or subpar ecological performance, nor is he charged a higher fee for being in communist China, he gets all of the benefits for their developments here, like magic!.

Technology is always stared somewhere, then disperses. Unless the US has a plan to lock in whatever their goal is and take over a private business then the China hype, is just hype.

They aren't taking it serious enough to end trade, even though China played covid games, helps Iran and went after the 2020 election.

[Sarah Barracuda]

I think if these data centers were NOT in populated areas(near homes, etc) that people would mind less.

[IWONDR]

If these data centers were self supporting and not causing electricity costs to skyrocket, and did not drain underground aquifers, and didn’t confiscate private land owners property for the right of way for their energy needs cabling, I’m sure there would be far less opposition.

[KrisKrinkle]

Data centers aside, I wonder what “guardrails” China is implementing regarding AI to maintain control and accuracy.

[SmokingJoe]

How much of that is going to Bernie Sanders/Democrats/legacy media who are doing everything they can to slow down/stop AI development in America? Harder for legacy media like ABC to get away with their regular lies when Grok can fact check them.

[Vigilanteman]

This is true, but there is a cost involved with transmitting and servicing the data plus having the professional expertise available to service and operate the centers. Rural Pennsylvania makes an ideal location for the foregoing reasons. But our GOP governor candidate is getting hammered mercilessly for daring to suggest such a thing. Most of our local people would welcome reduced electricity or internet rates, possibly enough to overcome the normal NIMBY fears of maxing out electrical grids, depleting aquifers and the like.