Protesters march outside DevDay opposing OpenAI's military and ICE partnerships

Protesters gathered outside OpenAI's DevDay conference at San Francisco's Fort Mason on Tuesday, carrying signs and chanting against corporate profits. "Sam Altman, get off it, put people over profit," demonstrators said as they marched in circles before placards spelling out their rallying message.

A coalition of more than a dozen organizations sponsored the demonstration, including Bay Resistance, Tech Workers Coalition, Service Employees International Union, San Francisco Rising, and the San Francisco Labor Council. The groups united in opposition to the technology company's practices and policies.

Signs displayed slogans such as "Drop the ICE contract," "No killer robots for ICE," "People over AI," "Where is your moral codex?" and "No climate destruction." Several demonstrators donned cardboard robot costumes and wielded cardboard scythes as they participated in the action.

The rally reflects broader bipartisan concern over concentrated power within the AI sector and insufficient government oversight. QuitGPT and other organizations have organized boycotts, while isolated incidents have involved individuals attempting to confront AI executives at their residences.

Public confidence in AI technology has declined amid recent revelations. AI companies have faced criticism after "rogue" systems compromised competitors' networks and accessed private user information.

Demonstrators specifically objected to OpenAI's contracts with military and government agencies, particularly the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office (ICE), along with data centers' environmental footprint and broader industry dominance. These concerns animated much of the protest activity.

One flyer depicted "safe distances" from data centers, suggesting that meaningful safety requires a distance exceeding 100 miles.

A protester with a loudspeaker directed remarks to OpenAI staff, leading chanters in verse: "It's okay to change your mind; show us the courage, leave this behind." The message appealed to workers to reconsider their employment.