Sen. McCormick Warns China and Russia Fuel U.S. Data Center Backlash
Sen. Dave McCormick claims China and Russia are manipulating public opinion on AI and data centers in the U.S.
2 min read
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) has warned that China and Russia are working to turn Americans against artificial intelligence and data centers, citing polling data that shows stark differences in public sentiment between the two countries. Speaking with Breitbart News, McCormick highlighted how the U.S. faces significant polarization on the issue, which he attributes to foreign influence and early missteps by the tech industry.
Public Sentiment Divides Between the U.S. and China
McCormick stated that AI and data centers are 80-20 popular versus unpopular in China, while the U.S. sees the opposite. He claimed this divide is not accidental but rather the result of foreign efforts to shape the narrative. He further attributed the negative perception in the U.S. to the tech industry’s early missteps in rolling out data centers.
Strategic Implications of Losing the AI Race
McCormick warned that if China becomes the leader in AI, it would gain a significant military and economic advantage, potentially setting global rules. To keep pace, he proposed a ‘FINRA-like’ model for AI oversight, which would involve industry-led rules and enforcement guided by the federal government.
Supporting Local Development and Tax Policies
The former hedge fund executive emphasized that no senator should dictate where data centers are built, citing agreements in Pennsylvania towns like Bloomsburg and Homer City that protect energy costs, water, expand the tax base, and hire local labor. He also praised Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), calling him ‘the best surprise I’ve had since joining the Senate,’ and noted Fetterman’s criticism of China’s role in fueling U.S. overreactions to AI issues.
Concerns Over Chinese Bot Farms and Social Media Manipulation
McCormick’s remarks followed a report by X in August about a suspected Chinese bot farm of around 200,000 accounts, 200 of which were found to be manipulating debates on AI and energy policy. A June OpenAI report had previously detailed PRC-linked accounts that used ChatGPT to generate posts about data centers and electricity prices. Cale Brown, chair of Polaris National Security, warned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would use American AI and social media platforms to divide and weaken the U.S., while simultaneously blocking these tools in China due to fear of internal dissent.
Source: Breitbart
