Anti-AI groups gathered outside the U.S. federal courthouse in Oakland, California, pointing out that AI is threatening labor, the environment, and public safety as the court prepares to hear Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI.
On 15 May 2026, members of labor groups, climate protection organizations, environmental advocates, and technology campaigners in the U.S. assembled outside the federal courthouse in Oakland, California, to express dissatisfaction with the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its impacts on the environment and labor market.
Protesters stated that the rapidly growing demand for data centers and processing power could increase pollution and strain future energy systems. Representatives from nursing groups and labor unions warned that unregulated AI systems might diminish human decision-making roles in hospitals and workplaces, leading to safety risks. Several speakers also highlighted the enormous energy needs of AI systems, the expansion of AI use in healthcare and various industries, and concerns about AI replacing human workers.
The protest took place while the trial of Elon Musk, CEO of a major U.S. technology company and one of the former co-founders of OpenAI, is underway. Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, with key issues focusing on allegations that OpenAI abandoned its original nonprofit mission after growing into one of the world's highest-valued AI companies. The jury trial is expected to begin Monday amid close attention from the technology sector, investors, and labor rights groups worldwide.