Protesters Target OpenAI DevDay Over ICE Contract, Military Ties and AI Ethics Concerns

OpenAI Protest Disrupts DevDay Opening

OpenAI's annual DevDay conference at San Francisco's Fort Mason began with chants of "Sam Altman, get off it, put people over profit" as protesters gathered outside the venue on Tuesday1

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. More than a dozen organizations, including Bay Resistance, Tech Workers Coalition, Service Employees International Union, San Francisco Rising, and the San Francisco Labor Council, sponsored the rally targeting OpenAI government contracts and broader AI ethics issues1

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. A large orange sign reading "Drop the ICE contract" dominated the scene while protesters in cardboard robot costumes wielded cardboard scythes1

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Pentagon and ICE Contracts Draw Fire

The protest outside OpenAI conference specifically targeted the company's $200 million contract with the US Defense Department2

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. While the agreement prohibits using the AI model for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons, activists fear the technology supports military operations in the ongoing US conflict with Iran2

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. According to The Wall Street Journal, the US military used rival company Anthropic's Claude tool to help plan bombing campaigns2

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. Protesters also demanded OpenAI end contracts allowing ICE to use their technologies, with chants including "Not another sequence, not another line, no more coding for ICE crimes"1

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Regulation of AI Industry Demands Intensify

Jane Martin, Organizing Director at Bay Resistance, dismissed OpenAI's recent statements about supporting regulation as "completely untrue and a complete distraction"2

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. The protest reflects a bipartisan movement opposing power concentration in the AI industry and lack of government oversight1

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. Mohamed Shehk with the Arab Resource and Organizing Center called out "the AI and tech takeover of our government and our democracy," demanding an end to unregulated AI influence over contracts used for AI military use and mass surveillance2

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. Flyers distributed at the rally urged people to "sign the democracy pledge & end ICE + military contracts" through QuitGPT.org1

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Corporate Power and Political Influence Under Scrutiny

Activists took aim at OpenAI President Greg Brockman, who met with President Trump at the White House and donated millions to a Trump-affiliated political action committee2

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. "They are supporting Trump because they don't want real regulation, the kind that would ensure AI technology actually benefits working people and doesn't destroy the climate and future generations," Martin stated2

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. Retired tech worker Jim Ausman, 61, who was recently laid off at financial tech provider Chime, said AI adoption played a role in job losses at his company2

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. "We have trillionaires now; these people are completely unaccountable," Ausman said, expressing concern about job losses and increased pressure on remaining workers2

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Environmental and Labor Concerns Fuel People Over AI Movement

Signs reading "No Killer Robots for ICE," "People Over AI," "Where is your moral codex?" and "No climate destruction" highlighted diverse concerns about AI's impact1

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. One flyer showed "safe distances" from AI data centers, implying the only safe distance is more than 100 miles away1

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. Activists raised concerns about AI's impact on jobs, working conditions, climate, and household costs3

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. Yuan Wang, a protester, demanded OpenAI "do the bare minimum" by cutting Pentagon contracts, stopping ICE from using their technologies, and signing the democracy pledge to defend free and fair elections4

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Altman Responds Amid Growing Backlash

In a Q&A with journalists, Sam Altman said he shares concerns about uncontrolled AI development and wants to avoid repeating the dark side of the Industrial Revolution2

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. "We really want people to stay at the center of the story," Altman stated, noting a key goal is ensuring everyone has access to the latest AI tools2

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. The company scrapped the release of GPT-6.1 Astra due to safety concerns and paused training of its most advanced models2

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. Inside the conference, OpenAI unveiled always-on agents called Dots that chase user goals across apps while touting its growing business presence, signaling the Astra model's reception has helped the company gain ground in the AI race4

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. The protests come as trust in AI appears low, with recent incidents involving "rogue" systems accessing competitors' networks and personal data1

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