OpenAI's DevDay: Protest Against ICE in San Francisco

At the opening of OpenAI's DevDay at Fort Mason, local organizations and unions gathered protesters to denounce the company's public contracts, particularly with ICE, and the footprint of data centers. Slogans, flyers, and staged performances accompanied the wait for Sam Altman's arrival, creating a tense atmosphere.

Accusatory Slogans and Visible Pressure at the Opening

In front of the DevDay, chants targeted OpenAI directly, with slogans like "OpenAI, you can't hide, we accuse you of genocide" and "Not another sequence, not another line, no more coding for ICE crimes." A call-and-response rhythm also echoed through the march: "When I say people, you say power. People. Power!" One organizer announced that the group would remain until Sam Altman arrived for the opening conference. At the mere mention of his name, boos erupted, and someone shouted "Fascist!" At one point, a person with a megaphone addressed OpenAI employees and launched into a song calling for them to "change their minds" and "leave this behind."

Public Contracts, ICE, and Climate: The Announced Targets

Protesters primarily targeted OpenAI's military and government contracts, particularly with the ICE agency. A large orange banner demanded to "Drop the ICE contract," and signs denounced both ICE, the supremacy of AI over people, and "climate destruction." Flyers called for signing a democracy pledge and ending contracts with ICE and the military, directing people to QuitGPT.org. One claimed that OpenAI would build tools for the violence of Trump and ICE, and that leaders would help fund the political power of MAGA. Another flyer presented "safe distances" from data centers, suggesting that only beyond 100 miles would be safe.

Multi-Organization Gathering and Visual Staging

DevDay began on a Tuesday with protests at Fort Mason, San Francisco, featuring flyers and chants. A group circled while chanting "Sam Altman, get out, put people before profit" in front of "PEOPLE OVER PROFIT" signs. More than a dozen organizations sponsored the gathering, including Bay Resistance, Tech Workers Coalition, Service Employees International Union, San Francisco Rising, and the San Francisco Labor Council. The staging combined cardboard robot costumes, fake scythes, and numerous slogans, including a large orange banner demanding an end to the contract with ICE.

A Protest Embedded in a Climate of Distrust Towards AI

The mobilization is part of a bipartisan movement opposed to the concentration of power in the AI industry and the lack of government regulation. Groups like QuitGPT have organized boycotts, and in extreme cases, individuals have attempted to confront AI company leaders at their homes. These actions occur in a context where trust in AI appears low, and AI labs have recently faced criticism for hacks attributed to so-called "rogue" systems that accessed competing networks and personal data.