Building American AI: Secret Influence Against China

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Key Takeaways

1Build American AI pays influencers up to $5,000 to promote American AI on TikTok.

2Melissa Strahle, an influencer with 1.4 million followers, posted a sponsored video without disclosing the funding.

3The campaign aims to influence legislation in Washington by presenting AI as a national security issue.

💡Why it matters — This strategy could change public and legislative perception of AI, increasing distrust towards China.

Build American AI: An Opaque Funding Campaign

Wired has revealed the existence of Build American AI, a campaign funded by opaque sources aimed at promoting artificial intelligence made in the United States. This initiative relies on TikTok videos, paid up to $5,000, to portray China as a technological threat. The goal is to influence the legislative agenda in Washington by positioning AI as a matter of national security, in order to curb regulations deemed restrictive.

The Role of Influencers

The investigation published by Wired on May 1, 2026 highlights a network of American groups using opaque funds to pay influencers. These influencers spread pro-American AI messages while stoking distrust towards China. Melissa Strahle, an influencer with 1.4 million followers, posted a sponsored video without disclosing the source of the funding. This video, promoting American AI, is reportedly orchestrated by Build American AI, which is linked to a super PAC named Leading the Future.

Super PACs and "Dark Money"

Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts to fund influence campaigns, without directly financing candidates. "Dark money" refers to funds that flow through opaque structures, making it difficult to identify the actual donors.

Two-Phase Strategy

The campaign unfolds in two distinct phases:

Phase 1: Promotion of American AI and innovation.
Phase 2: Criticism of China, presented as a technological threat.

Marketing agencies offer contracts to influencers to disseminate alarming messages about China's technological rise.

Political and Economic Objectives

This campaign pursues three main objectives:

Political: To influence the legislative agenda in Washington by presenting AI as a national security issue, to avoid restrictive regulations.
Economic: To secure billions of dollars in investments and access to essential resources for major tech companies.
Information Battle: To shape public perception of AI and regulation.

Conclusion

The narrative promoted by this campaign presents American AI as a symbol of protection and technological leadership, while China and regulations are perceived as threats. However, the opacity surrounding the funding and coordination of this content raises questions about its nature, bringing it closer to propaganda than to transparent communication.