OpenAI bans Chinese-linked ChatGPT accounts in US influence

OpenAI has identified and banned clusters of ChatGPT accounts linked to China that were used in suspected influence campaigns targeting American political and technology debates. The company detailed these operations in a report published on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, stating the activity occurred from late 2025 into early 2026 and appeared to have had little to no effect on public opinion.

The company traced two distinct campaigns. One, internally labeled the "Data Center Bandwagon," involved users likely part of a social media operations team at a private Chinese technology company conducting work for Chinese provincial-level government clients. This operation used ChatGPT to generate English-language social media posts and cartoon images portraying the data center industry as greedy profiteers whose electricity consumption harms ordinary citizens. The goal was to exploit and amplify existing public concerns in the United States about the local impacts and energy costs of data center development. The users posed as Americans on platforms like X and Facebook, and also targeted Chinese people based in other countries, even asking ChatGPT to generate insults meant to harass...