U.S. students walked out of class to demand a freeze on AI development, with small groups taking part

High school and college students across the U.S. walked out of class on October 20 to demand a freeze on AI development. The national day of action was organized by Irreplaceable, a nonprofit launched in August. Per KQED, its founders include climate activists and leaders of civil rights organizations and national labor unions. The group wants new AI development halted until the public has a say, a stake in the economic benefits and stronger safety guardrails.

KQED reported that rallies took place across about 50 U.S. cities and college campuses. In San Francisco, about two dozen protesters gathered outside OpenAI’s office in the Mission Bay neighborhood. The New York Daily News reported that nearly 100 students at Manhattan’s LaGuardia High School marched to Lincoln Center. In Boston, students from 10 schools planned to rally outside the Massachusetts State House; no turnout figure for Boston could be found. At Florida A&M University, students focused on AI-powered surveillance. One tech site described thousands of participants, but no independent count supports that.

Students cited job prospects, AI in education, privacy and surveillance. At LaGuardia, students criticized the use of AI-generated posters and music at school events. KQED noted that Irreplaceable hasn’t detailed what legislation it wants Congress to pass. Spokespeople for the New York schools where students walked out didn’t immediately respond to the paper’s request for comment, and no statement from OpenAI on the protests could be found.