Open Source

A Dark-Money Campaign Is Paying Influencers to Frame Chinese AI as a Threat

Build American AI is bankrolled by OpenAI and a16z insiders to sway public opinion against Chinese models.

Deep Dive

Build American AI, a nonprofit linked to a super PAC bankrolled by executives at OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz, is funding a campaign to spread pro-AI messaging and stoke fears about China. Last month, half of the open models came from China.

Key Points
  • Build American AI is a nonprofit linked to a super PAC funded by OpenAI and a16z executives.
  • The group is paying social media influencers to portray Chinese AI as a national security threat.
  • Nearly half of all open-source AI models released last month originated from Chinese companies.

Why It Matters

This campaign could sway regulation and public trust against open-weight models from China, restricting global AI collaboration.