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Natalie Winters@nataliegwinters · Aug 21, 2026

EXCLUSIVE: Chinese Institutions Are Building AI Models Of American Voters—And Testing Political Messages On Them.…

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Summary

Chinese research institutions have built AI systems to model American voters using 171 million X posts and Census data, then tested political messages on synthetic voter personas. Government-linked teams have studied how various demographics respond to campaign messages on topics like immigration and taxes, with some research explicitly designed to inform Chinese policy toward the U.S.

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  1. #1

    EXCLUSIVE: Chinese Institutions Are Building AI Models Of American Voters—And Testing Political Messages On Them. Fudan used 171 MILLION X posts to create a million-account “voter pool.” A government-linked team tested a campaign message on synthetic Pennsylvania voters. 🧵

  2. #2

    Fudan inferred users’ age, gender, race, ideology and party from their public histories, then combined those profiles with Census and ANES data to simulate every state. The latest version claims it reproduced 47 of 51 state contests and 12 of 15 battlegrounds.

  3. #3

    The system lets researchers select modeled Americans by political or demographic traits and hold multi-round conversations with them. Its questionnaire covers immigration, guns, race, LGBTQ rights, gender resentment, election integrity, taxes, unrest and voting behavior.

  4. #4

    The Pennsylvania project included SASS, a Chinese government academy, and SIIS, a think tank subordinate to Shanghai’s government. Researchers built 300 agents in each of ten states. In Pennsylvania, they tested a tax-and-redistribution position and measured the reaction.

  5. #5

    A Chinese study built a “voter portrait of Trump’s dependable right-wing base,” saying it could provide a “scientific basis” for China’s U.S. policy. A state-funded follow-up modeled “America First” views on tariffs and alliances to assess U.S. policy and China’s response.

  6. #6

    GoLaxy’s system is described as “cognitive-domain confrontation and guidance.” The company claims parts reached Chinese intelligence and PLA units. Its election module ranks influencers and maps swing states, MAGA content and “supporter portraits.” nataliegwinters.substack.com/p/exclusive-ch…