China has worked for years to drive climate activism in America with a goal of slowing down American energy independence and making America dependent on Chinese energy technologies. Now it’s using the same playbook for Artificial Intelligence. Texans shouldn’t fall for it.
For generations, Texas has been America’s energy capital. The state’s abundant resources, entrepreneurial culture, and willingness to build made it an economic powerhouse and strengthened America’s security.
Now Texas stands at the beginning of another historic opportunity, and America’s national security depends upon Texas’ continued willingness to build.
Artificial intelligence is becoming the defining technology of the 21st century, and Texas is rapidly emerging as its center. The companies building the future increasingly need the same things that built the energy industry like abundant electricity, reliable infrastructure, investment capital, and policymakers willing to embrace growth instead of obstructing it.
Just as Texas became synonymous with energy, it is increasingly becoming synonymous with AI.
That matters because artificial intelligence isn’t simply another industry: it will define the 21st century economy and military battlefields. The nation that leads AI will enjoy enormous advantages in economic growth, scientific discovery, manufacturing, finance, and the national security that comes with it. Furthermore, it’s no secret that America leverages AI for battlefield success in military operations in Venezuela and Iran, as well as in its support of Ukraine.
The Chinese Communist Party understands this reality and is working to undermine the United States.
I recently testified before the Texas House Committee on Natural Resources regarding evidence that foreign actors, particularly the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated influence networks, are pushing lies and amplifying opposition to data center development. Beijing knows America’s AI leadership depends on enormous investments in computing infrastructure, especially data centers. It also knows Texas could become the world capital of this leading technology. That’s why China has every reason to slow Texas down.
Last month, OpenAI disclosed that it had dismantled a Chinese-linked influence operation that amplified opposition to American data centers. According to the company, operators in China posed as Americans and used AI-generated content to spread claims that data centers would raise electricity prices, strain power grids, consume excessive water, and burden local communities. Those messages don’t exist in a vacuum.
The Bitcoin Policy Institute has documented similar anti-data center narratives promoted by organizations tied to Neville Roy Singham, an American who shares a Shanghai office building with a CCP propaganda agency and is under federal investigation for allegedly acting as a CCP agent. CODEPINK, one cog in the Singham network, has portrayed AI infrastructure as an environmental threat while linking opposition to American AI development with resistance to what it calls a “new Cold War on China.” Chinese state media have echoed many of the same themes for English-speaking audiences, and there are reportedly 700 instances of anti-AI commentary in Chinese, Russia, and Iranian state outlets targeting American audiences.
Meanwhile, China’s largest technology companies are credibly accused of ripping off the best technology from America’s leading AI labs.
We’ve seen this playbook before. For years, Chinese-linked organizations sought to shape America’s energy debate in ways that benefited Beijing. State Armor has documented how Energy Foundation China funded advocacy supporting policies that weakened reliable American energy production while China expanded its own industrial base. More recently, we issued a report detailing how the Environmental Law Institute has used litigation and advocacy to disadvantage American oil and gas producers while shielding Chinese competitors.
That doesn’t mean Texans shouldn’t debate where data centers belong or how they should be developed. Those are legitimate questions that impact local communities, and businesses building data centers should focus on being good neighbors who deliver transparency and wins for local communities. Yet Texans should recognize when foreign adversaries attempt to manipulate our debate.
Texas is uniquely positioned to lead the AI economy which will power America’s 21st century leadership. If Texas embraces that opportunity, it won’t simply remain America’s energy capital. It will become the place where energy, artificial intelligence, finance, and innovation come together to build the economy of the future.
Texas has already overcome influence operations to slow down energy development. That success helped preserve one of America’s greatest strategic advantages.
Beijing understands exactly what’s at stake. Texans shouldn’t let China’s disinformation campaign prevent Texas from leading the next American century.
