Several U.S. federal lawmakers jointly sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday (July 24th), requesting an investigation into the foreign influence behind recent public opinions and protests against the construction of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers across the United States, specifically naming the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
According to a report by Fox News on Friday, the letter was drafted by Texas Republican Representative Lance Gooden and co-signed by Representatives Randy Weber, Nathaniel Moran, Addison McDowell, Tom Tiffany, and Pat Fallon.
The lawmakers pointed out in the letter that organizations and advocacy networks affiliated with foreign countries are attempting to hinder the construction of AI data centers in the United States to allow China to gain a competitive advantage in the AI field.
Citing reports from the Bitcoin Policy Institute and OpenAI Research Center, the letter outlined how foreign powers are suspected of influencing public resistance to the construction of AI data centers in the U.S. with concrete examples.
The OpenAI Research Center report specifically mentioned, “Two ChatGPT account groups potentially originating from China (CCP) utilized our AI model to implement overt covert opinion influence operations and have been banned as a result. These actions disseminated related narratives attempting to manipulate legitimate discussions surrounding U.S. AI and broader technology policies.”
The lawmakers expressed in the letter, “Recent reports also show that Neville Roy Singham from China and his Marxist, communist, and socialist non-profit organization network have engaged in influencing public discussions in the U.S. on artificial intelligence topics.”
The letter highlighted findings from the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s report that the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) organized anti-AI data center construction activities in at least 14 states in the U.S., impacting around $23.6 billion in AI investment projects.
The letter stated, “This nationwide opinion influence campaign led by the ‘Party for Socialism and Liberation’ aims to weaken the U.S. AI supply chain. The party is an unregistered political party referred to as the ‘Singham Network’s political wing,’ with connections to socialist regimes such as Cuba and Venezuela.”
Additionally, it was noted that earlier this year in Frederick County, Maryland, a member of the “Party for Socialism and Liberation” testified before the county planning commission opposing the construction of a data center in Virginia, citing concerns about security and network attack risks posed by AI.
The Boston chapter of the party had previously posted on social media opposing data center construction, advocating for the class struggle theory of the CCP, claiming that control over artificial intelligence and data centers is in the hands of billionaires.
One post stated, “Workers across the nation are rising up in an ever-growing movement against tech billionaires – from hundreds of cities opposing data center construction to labor organizations within the world’s largest tech companies.”
The Bitcoin Policy Institute’s report revealed that Neville Singham, a 72-year-old American tech entrepreneur living in Shanghai, has channeled $278 million to various U.S. non-profit networks supporting CCP stances since selling his company in 2017 for $785 million profit.
Singham is currently under investigation by a grand jury in the Southern District of New York for his financial activities but has not been indicted yet.
The letter pointed out potential loopholes in current foreign funding disclosure regulations and urged the Justice Department to ensure discussions on AI policy are based on genuine domestic concerns rather than being swayed by undisclosed foreign interests.
Gooden, in an interview with Fox News Digital, stated, “We believe that China and Russia are colluding to ensure the U.S. does not maintain a leading position in AI policy and development.”
Gooden had previously introduced the “Think Tank and Nonprofit Foreign Influence Disclosure Act” and previously sent correspondence to the Justice Department regarding CCP influence on U.S. energy policies.