US agencies cite 'anti-tech extremism' amid AI backlash

Public concern about AI, large-scale datacentre expansion and job displacement has intensified in recent years

Federal law enforcement agencies in the United States are increasingly warning of a new domestic threat category they describe as "anti-tech extremism", according to internal intelligence documents reviewed by investigative journalists.

The unpublished reports, circulated among agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FBI and regional intelligence fusion centres, suggest growing concern by the authorities over public anger surrounding AI, large-scale datacentre expansion, and fears of widespread job displacement.

One assessment, produced by New York City's Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau, warned that rapid advances in AI over the next five years could contribute to "large-scale protests" and "anti-tech violent extremist activity", particularly in major urban areas.

The phrase "anti-tech violent extremism" appears to represent a new classification within US domestic security monitoring.

Civil liberties advocates say the designation risks sweeping together a broad range of political activism, environmental campaigning and criticism of powerful technology companies under a counterterrorism framework.

Tensions over AI infrastructure expansion

The reports emerge as tensions continue to grow across the US over the expansion of AI infrastructure.

Hundreds of local organisations have opposed the construction of energy-intensive datacentres, arguing that projects consume vast amounts of water and electricity while providing limited economic benefits to surrounding communities.

In several states, including California and New Jersey, protests at public meetings over proposed facilities have reportedly led to arrests by police.

The intelligence warnings also follow a series of demonstrations against prominent technology executives and firms associated with AI expansion.

In April, a man allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at the gate of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman's San Francisco home before fleeing the scene.

Documents obtained by Wired cite concerns over online communities expressing hostility toward technology leaders, while others focus on the possibility of attacks targeting critical infrastructure, including datacentres and power systems.

A regional intelligence bulletin in Virginia warned that anti-government extremists influenced by conspiracy theories may conduct surveillance or "pre-operational planning" around technology facilities.

However, critics say some of the behaviours listed as suspicious - including photography, observing security arrangements or attending demonstrations - are commonly associated with lawful protest activity.

Civil rights organisations argue the language used in such reports could blur the distinction between constitutionally protected dissent and genuine security threats.

Spencer Reynolds, a lawyer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said intelligence reports have historically "identified protest or even simply having strong opinions as precursors to violence".

"Suspicious activity reports are incredibly unreliable, often about vague or innocent behaviour, issued under permissive standards. These reports, often received in large volumes, allow officers to inject their own biases and see what they want to see in the facts," Reynolds said.

Scrutiny of ideological movements

The reports come amid broader changes in US counterterrorism priorities under President Donald Trump's administration.

Earlier this year, White House officials directed federal agencies to intensify scrutiny of ideological movements viewed as hostile to American institutions, capitalism, or Christianity.

Counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka recently described left-wing extremism as one of the country's top domestic security concerns.

Fears over unemployment and surveillance

Public concern about AI has intensified in recent years, with fears ranging from automation-driven unemployment to misinformation, surveillance and the concentration of power among major technology companies.

At the same time, some experts warn that aggressive policing of anti-tech activism could further inflame distrust between authorities and communities already sceptical of Silicon Valley's growing influence.

In a statement to Wired, the FBI said it investigates individuals who commit or intend to commit violence and criminal activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security.

"We have no additional comment," the agency added.