An anonymous reader quotes a report from Politico: China was likely behind an online influence operation to sway U.S. perceptions of artificial intelligence technology and reshape the debate in Washington around the infrastructure needed to support it, according to research from OpenAI published Wednesday. OpenAI said it caught the influence campaign because China-backed operatives were using ChatGPT to create content for the social media campaign. [...] OpenAI's researchers identified two clusters of ChatGPT users "likely originating from China" who used the AI chatbot to generate social media content "in support of apparent covert influence operations" promoting certain narratives about AI. This includes claims that data center build-outs are raising electricity costs for the average American family and that President Donald Trump has weaponized tariffs to keep the U.S. ahead in the global tech race. These accounts have since been banned, the report said. One cluster of users asked ChatGPT to generate images and comments pushing these narratives. These comments were then posted on social media by "batches of accounts" posing as Americans, [said Ben Nimmo, principal investigator of intelligence and investigations at OpenAI]. Another cluster identified by researchers used AI to generate social media content criticizing the Trump administration's tariffs as an attempt to "dominate technological competition." Prompts used for this campaign were submitted in Simplified Chinese and asked that AI-generated content not include Chinese President Xi Jinping and focus solely on Trump -- a possible tell that China was behind the operation, according to the report. Nimmo said that the influence campaign amplified existing public backlash in the U.S. against the creation of new AI data centers, which has resulted in dozens of proposed moratoriums at the local, state and national level. "Neither campaign appears to have gained much authentic engagement," Nimmo said. "They're important for what they reveal about the intentions of influence operators from China, and the narratives they're testing and seeking to amplify, but not for the impact."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granted Xiaomi regulatory approval to produce extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), clearing a key hurdle for the company’s expansion beyond battery-only EVs.

The approval paves the way for Xiaomi’s first range-extended model — a full-size SUV codenamed “Kunlun N3” that measures over 5.3 meters long and targets Li Auto’s dominant L9.

China has conducted a pair of launches to advance its communications capabilities, using the country’s largest rocket and a commercial launcher.

The post Long March 5 launches classified satellite, Zhuque-2E lofts direct-to-device test sats appeared first on SpaceNews.

Labour’s goal of 'dynamic alignment' with the EU is bad news for the party's beloved Net Zero, says Ben Pile. Even more than in Britain, the backlash in Europe against ruinous climate policies is gathering steam.

The post The Backlash Against Net Zero is Gathering Steam Across Europe appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.