Foreign adversaries waging 'psyop' against U.S. AI and data centers, War Department official says

Foreign adversaries are actively engaged in psychological operations, or 'psyops,' aimed at fueling opposition to artificial intelligence and data center development within the United States, according to a high-ranking official at the Department of War.

Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael stated in an interview that the movement to curtail AI infrastructure production is being driven by America's adversaries. "It is natural from a propaganda standpoint that your adversary, who doesn't want you to be developing super intelligence ahead of them, is going to try to psyop your population into believing that," Michael told Fox News Digital. He added that these efforts have seen some success, prompting the administration to publicly advocate for the benefits of AI.

Data centers, described by Michael as the "electricity that fuels the superintelligence revolution," have become a focal point of debate. Continued development of these facilities is considered crucial for maintaining the U.S. lead in the global AI race. Protests against data centers and AI advancements have emerged across the country, raising questions about the extent of foreign influence in these demonstrations.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has drawn parallels between the current situation and past foreign influence campaigns, citing efforts by Middle Eastern countries to fund anti-fracking movements. "Because if they can convince America, 'Don't develop your oil and gas, just buy it from us,' well, that's great for them and terrible for us," Cruz told Fox News Digital. "The same is true on data centers. If they can convince Americans, 'You don't want data centers here, you want to just rely on the Chinese for AI,' that's great for China, and it's terrible for America."

Concerns about foreign funding have specifically targeted Neville Roy Singham, an American tech entrepreneur who has reportedly channeled hundreds of millions of dollars into various nonprofits and organizations that are now actively opposing data center development. Among the recipients of Singham's funding are the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the ANSWER Coalition, both identified as pro-China communist groups. A House panel is reportedly set to investigate these foreign entities, with scrutiny widening around Singham.

Activists associated with these groups have been observed protesting against data centers and AI, sometimes blending these messages with anti-establishment sentiments. A protest in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, saw demonstrators carrying signs that opposed data centers and AI development.

Michael also highlighted the significant increase in the Department of War's use of artificial intelligence. Since Secretary Pete Hegseth took office, AI adoption has surged from approximately 70,000 users to about 1.7 million across the department's workforce. The department is deploying AI for enterprise operations, warfighting, and intelligence gathering, with officials reporting substantial time savings in tasks that previously took hundreds of hours.