Outside her offices OpenAI in San Francisco, activists placed dead transport bags Thursday, as part of a protest against the company's cooperation with the US defence ministry.
The symbolic mobilisation was not a threat to workers, but a reference to the victims of American military operations.
Next to the bags there was banner with the names of children who, according to the organizers, were killed when an American bomb struck a school in Iran. The action was organized by Tesla Takedown and Stop the Money Pipeline teams, which have carried out mobilisations against major technology companies. Similar protests are planned outside the offices of Anthropic, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Tesla, according to Business Insider.
The protesters accuse companies of working closely with the Pentagon and providing technology for military operations and surveillance systems. At the same time, Silicon Valley officials appear increasingly concerned about the possibility of actual attacks.
OpenAI workers found body bags outside their HQ this morning, placed in protection of tech companies’ work with the military.
The banner includes names of children killed in the US bombing of an Iranian school. Senators are pressing the DoD to release its findings about the strike. pic.twitter. com/RzY8QHkqtg
— Stephen Council (@stephencouncil) July 16, 2026
Increased security measures in Silicon Valley
According to the Wall Street Journal, concern intensified afterwards attacks reportedly occurred earlier this year at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam AltmanArtificial intelligence companies have also addressed the police for messages they considered threatening.
On one occasion, authorities visited a man in Oklahoma, after Anthropic denounced him for a threat he wrote in a customer service system conversation. The man was upset because he couldn't contact an employee.
Some executives are now reportedly using private security on a 24-hour basis. The suspicion of artificial intelligence has been enhanced in recent years. In a series of polls, many citizens say they fear more the potential consequences of technology than they expect. In an NBC News survey, only 26% of respondents expressed a positive view of artificial intelligence.
At the same time, the heads of the largest companies in the industry become increasingly recognizable and controversial persons. Public criticism, however, does not amount to threat or violence and most reactions are limited to demonstrations and intense messages on the Internet.
The debate on company responsibilities
The critics of the industry argue that rage did not appear without cause. Artificial intelligence companies now cooperate with military and state agencies, while their systems affect the work, information and everyday life of millions.
According to reports, Anthropic model was used to select targets at the first American hits in Iran. At the same time, cases have been recorded where conversations with artificial intelligence systems were associated with severe mental health crises. These cases remain subject to investigation and do not prove in themselves that the technology caused the actions of the parties concerned.
Stress brings to the fore the question whether companies themselves have contributed to the climate of fear. Statements of massive job loss or even existential risks from artificial intelligence enhance public concern, especially when they come from people developing these systems.
The key issue for the industry is not only how it will protect its executives, but also how it will respond to the social reactions caused by its choices.
With information from Gizmondo
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