X identifies suspected Chinese bot farm targeting U.S. energy policy

X has identified a suspected Chinese bot farm consisting of approximately 200,000 inauthentic accounts. Within this network, roughly 200 accounts were found to be posting content specifically designed to manipulate American debates regarding artificial intelligence and energy policy.

The influence operation targeted concerns over electricity costs and power grid stability. The accounts utilized AI-generated political cartoons and false claims to suggest that AI data centers are driving up household electricity prices and straining regional grids. One specific false claim suggested that PJM Interconnection had raised prices by 76% due to data center demand, a figure that contradicts actual PJM auction results.

The campaign also amplified legitimate news reporting, including content from the Southern Maryland Chronicle, to lend credibility to its claims. The Chronicle stated it had no involvement with, nor any knowledge of, the accounts using its reporting for these purposes.