SDSU students protest OpenAI over data centers and military ties

Students at San Diego State University protested against OpenAI, citing concerns about the company's data centers and military affiliations, FOX 5 San Diego reported. The protest included opposition to data center development in the Imperial Valley, which some students view as problematic.

Michael Angelo Tiupul, a student involved in the protest, highlighted the desire to avoid connections with data centers in the region. Additionally, concerns about OpenAI's ties to the military, including an agreement referenced by students as with the 'Department of War,' were significant motivators for the demonstrators, according to Logan Payne of The Daily Aztec.

In response, SDSU emphasized its 'platform-agnostic' approach to AI by providing access to multiple AI tools, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. The university noted that the CSU Chancellor’s Office funds ChatGPT Edu licenses for students, faculty, and staff, and other AI tools are available through existing licenses without extra cost.

SDSU also assured that privacy protections are in place under its enterprise agreements, stating that information entered into these tools is not used to train public-facing AI models. The university highlighted that the versions offered provide more powerful and reliable AI models than free alternatives, and providing these tools at no cost helps address technology access disparities among students.

Despite the university's position, some students remain concerned about privacy and ethical implications. Tiupul alleged at the protest that OpenAI is involved in a $30 million deal with Palantir to track and profile immigrants for ICE, which fuels opposition to the AI tools on campus.