A Secret Funding Initiative is Hiring Influencers to Portray Chinese AI as a Danger

In an Instagram video shared on April 1, lifestyle influencer Melissa Strahle is seen outdoors in front of an American flag, accompanied by soft instrumental music. “AI allows me to concentrate on what’s most important,” she remarks to her 1.4 million followers. “We must invest in American-made AI to ensure that America remains at the forefront of innovation and job creation.”

Strahle labeled the post as an advertisement but did not specify which organization sponsored it. The funding originated from Build American AI, a dark-money organization linked to Leading the Future, a $100 million super PAC backed by tech figures associated with companies like OpenAI and Palantir.

The video is part of a strategic influence campaign funded by Build American AI, rolled out on social media in two phases. The initial phase collaborated with lifestyle influencers like Strahle, who did not respond to a request for comment, to promote the U.S. AI industry and American innovation. The current second phase, however, shifts focus to China.

Marketing agencies are enticing influencers with offers such as $5,000 per TikTok video to amplify Build American AI’s messages regarding China’s technological rise as a potential threat. According to a staff member from SM4, the influencer marketing agency managing the campaign for Build American AI, the aim is to subtly redirect public discourse by presenting China’s advancements in AI as a significant risk to the safety and well-being of Americans.

“They’re looking for a push to mention China and America and emphasize why surpassing China is crucial,” the staff member stated.

Messaging samples provided by Build American AI to content creators include phrases like “I just found out that China is making a strong effort to outpace the US in AI. If they succeed, it could mean China obtaining personal data about me and my kids, and taking jobs that should stay in the US. In the AI innovation race, I’m Team USA!!!”

WIRED initially uncovered the campaign after this article’s author received an invitation from SM4 to take part. The details were subsequently verified by multiple other content creators who experienced similar outreach.

Josh Murphy, an ecologist with more than 130,000 Instagram followers, who did not reply to SM4’s proposal, noted that while he’s “not necessarily against AI,” the mix of generic praise for the technology with strong anti-China sentiments felt inappropriate. “AI can certainly be utilized for the improvement of humanity,” Murphy suggests, “but the current unregulated industry, where greed-driven tech enthusiasts are in charge, is not what it should be.”

“The United States has a chance to maintain its status as the global leader in AI innovation, and we aim to communicate this message to the widest audience possible through a comprehensive communications strategy,” Jesse Hunt, a spokesperson for Leading the Future, explained about the campaign. “Dark money doomsday groups have spent millions spreading misinformation to the American public, and we will not let it go unchallenged. We’ll continue to underscore AI’s economic advantages, counter false narratives, and build the necessary coalition to promote a national regulatory framework using all tools at our disposal.”

Supporters of Leading the Future include OpenAI President and co-founder Greg Brockman, venture capitalist and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and AI company Perplexity, according to the PAC. Leading the Future has claimed a total of $140 million in contributions and commitments, with $51 million available for spending to advance its pro-AI agenda as of April. The news outlet NOTUS referred to the group as a “massive political war chest for the AI industry.”