Protesters gather at OpenAI’s DevDay
Protesters gathered outside OpenAI's annual DevDay event in San Francisco, targeting the company's military and government contracts, particularly with ICE. The demonstration also highlighted concerns about the environmental impact of data centers and the broader concentration of power in the AI industry.
OpenAI's annual DevDay event in San Francisco began with protests orchestrated by more than a dozen organizations, including Bay Resistance, Tech Workers Coalition, Service Employees International Union, San Francisco Rising, and the San Francisco Labor Council. Demonstrators marched outside Fort Mason, chanting "Sam Altman, get off it, put people over profit" and displaying signs like "PEOPLE OVER PROFIT" and "Drop the ICE contract.
The protest focused on several key grievances: OpenAI's military and government contracts, specifically with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); the environmental impact of data centers; and concerns over the AI industry's concentration of power and lack of government regulation. Flyers distributed at the event urged people to sign a "democracy pledge" and criticized OpenAI executives for allegedly funding MAGA political power while building tools for "Trump & ICE violence.
Protesters also raised concerns about AI's ethical implications, with signs reading "No killer robots for ICE" and "No climate destruction." A protest leader addressed OpenAI employees directly, encouraging them to reconsider their work. The mention of CEO Sam Altman's name was met with booing, reflecting strong opposition to the company's direction.