BOX ELDER COUNTY — Kevin O'Leary, an investor in Utah's Stratos data center project, claimed in May 2026 that two local advocacy groups were operating on behalf of the Chinese government to oppose the development. This claim followed the local planning council's approval of the project.
O'Leary's claim targeted the nonprofit Alliance for a Better Utah and the consultancy Elevate Strategies. The project was planned to span approximately 40,000 acres and consume up to 9 gigawatts of power. Alliance for a Better Utah filed a lawsuit on behalf of five Box Elder County residents concerning the project.
Gabi Finlayson, a senior partner at Elevate Strategies, stated that her firm posted about the data center on social media, but was not centrally involved in opposing its construction. "We are certainly not a Chinese cell. Nobody pays us to make any content, let alone any foreign government." Finlayson said. She also said, "I think we have been as confused as anybody." Her comment addressed allegations of Chinese funding. Elevate Strategies is based in Salt Lake City and assists Democratic candidates in Utah.
Elizabeth Hutchings, communications director for Alliance for a Better Utah, stated that O'Leary named individuals who no longer worked at the organization. Tax documents show the organization reported approximately $200,000 in revenue for 2024, consistent with its annual revenue over the last decade. The organization also published a fundraising video on social media referencing foreign funding allegations.
Separately, OpenAI banned a cluster of accounts during the winter prior to June 2026 that used ChatGPT to generate anti-data center content. The company stated the accounts were likely operated by a private Chinese technology firm working for provincial-level government clients. The operators posed as Americans on social media, posting AI-generated comments and images about energy demand and rising electricity costs.
Congressman Brett Guthrie requested a briefing on whether federal agencies see evidence of Chinese influence in the data center debate. The request was addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, David Sacks, and Michael Kratsios. Public records and organizational statements indicate limited evidence supports claims of a coordinated foreign campaign opposing U.S. data centers.