Protesters rally outside OpenAI’s DevDay over military contracts and data center impact

On Tuesday, OpenAI’s annual DevDay event in San Francisco was met with protests organized by more than a dozen advocacy groups. The rally, held outside the venue at Fort Mason, featured chants, flyers, and signs criticizing OpenAI’s contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the environmental impact of data centers.

Protesters marched with signs reading 'No killer robots for ICE,' 'People over AI,' and 'Drop the ICE contract,' while others dressed in cardboard robot costumes waved mock scythes. The demonstrators also targeted broader industry concerns, including the perceived lack of regulation and the concentration of power within AI companies.

A flyer distributed at the event called for individuals to 'sign the democracy pledge & end ICE + military contracts,' linking to QuitGPT.org. Another flyer suggested that data centers should be located more than 100 miles away to mitigate their environmental impact.

Speakers at the rally addressed OpenAI employees directly, urging them to reconsider their involvement with controversial projects. One protest leader stated the group would remain until OpenAI CEO Sam Altman arrived, which drew boos from the crowd when his name was mentioned.

The protest reflects a broader movement opposing AI industry practices, including boycotts led by groups like QuitGPT and isolated incidents of targeted actions against AI executives.