OpenAI Bans China-Linked Accounts for Using ChatGPT in U.S. Political Campaigns

OpenAI has banned accounts linked to China that utilized ChatGPT to create social media campaigns aimed at influencing U.S. discussions on tariffs and AI data centers, according to a company announcement made on June 10, 2026. The campaigns, which OpenAI identified as two distinct operations, generated posts, comments, and political cartoons related to U.S. tech policy. One operation, named "Data Center Bandwagon," produced content claiming that AI data centers were increasing electricity prices for American households. The second operation, "Tech and Tariffs," created material criticizing former President Trump's tariffs and the U.S. approach to global technology leadership. OpenAI noted that the campaigns did not gain significant traction online and emphasized that they were attempting to exploit existing political debates rather than create new ones. The company stated that this marks the first instance of a China-linked operation using its models to engage in discussions about AI data centers. The campaigns involved users believed to be associated with a Chinese government contractor requesting ChatGPT to generate comic strips about power grid capacity and electricity costs, which were then shared on social media through likely inauthentic accounts.