A Dark-Money Campaign Is Paying Influencers to Frame Chinese AI as a Threat
A $5,000-per-video campaign from a dark-money group aims to sway public opinion on AI.
Build American AI, a dark-money group tied to the $100 million super PAC Leading the Future, is funding a coordinated influence campaign run by agency SM4. Lifestyle influencer Melissa Strahle posted an ad promoting U.S. AI without disclosing the funder. The campaign has two phases: first, working with influencers to boost American AI innovation; second, paying influencers up to $5,000 per TikTok video to frame China's technological rise as a threat to U.S. jobs and data. The goal, per an SM4 staffer, is to shift public debate by portraying China's AI advancement as a serious risk. Leading the Future’s supporters include OpenAI president Greg Brockman and Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, though OpenAI and Palantir say they have not contributed. The group is trying to steer AI policy amid growing public concern, and AI is shaping up to be a key issue in the 2026 midterms.
- Influencers are offered $5,000 per TikTok video to promote anti-China AI messaging via Build American AI.
- The campaign is funded by Leading the Future, a $140 million super PAC backed by OpenAI president Greg Brockman and Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale.
- The two-phase strategy first promoted U.S. AI innovation, then shifted to framing China’s AI rise as a threat to American jobs and data security.
Why It Matters
Influencer-driven propaganda could shape AI regulation and public opinion ahead of the 2026 midterms.