OpenAI-linked Dark Money Group Pays Influencers to Spread 'China AI Threat' Narratives on TikTok

WIRED investigation found that non-profit Build American AI is paying social media influencers via marketing agency SM4 to spread 'China AI threatens the US' messages on TikTok and Instagram. Build American AI is an affiliated dark money group of super PAC Leading the Future, which is funded by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and others.

The campaign has two phases: first, recruit lifestyle influencers to promote US AI benefits; second, shift to China narratives, offering $5000 per TikTok video to creators who naturally insert claims like 'China steals US data and jobs' into daily content. Sample scripts mention that if China wins in AI, it will get personal data and take US jobs.

Queens College associate professor Jamie Cohen notes that influencers receiving undisclosed funds to promote specific messages without public knowledge is corrosive to democracy and essentially propaganda.