A nonprofit called Build American AI, linked to a super PAC funded by executives at OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz, is paying TikTok influencers to promote messages about China's AI threats and advocate for U.S. AI development. The campaign uses social media influencers to reach younger audiences with geopolitical messaging about AI competition. This represents a significant example of AI industry figures using dark money channels to shape public opinion on AI policy.

The campaign conflates legitimate AI competitiveness concerns with paid advocacy, raising questions about disclosure and the integrity of the public debate around AI policy.

What This Means for Your Business

Be aware that AI policy discourse increasingly includes funded advocacy campaigns that may not be transparent about their sources. For companies making decisions about AI investment or positioning, understand that public narratives about AI and geopolitics are being actively shaped by industry stakeholders. For compliance and communications teams, this demonstrates the need to evaluate AI policy claims critically and understand the funding behind various public AI advocacy initiatives.