From killer-robot demonstrations to computerese for senior citizens, S.F. Bay Area locals battle with AI

Technology

San Francisco Bay Area citizens, residing in the pounding heart of the expert system boom, are simply as conflicted about the innovation as the remainder of the nation.

As OpenAI flaunted its most current AI assistants in San Francisco recently, protesters outside– some impersonated killer robotics– required it keep AI far from the armed force. Thirteen miles away in Oakland the following day, some elderly people took a seat with a group of trainees to attend to AI angst at a grassroots tech occasion.

Even as the clash in between tech titans and distressed activists magnifies, the argument about AI is progressively penetrating neighborhood occasions, with the young and old coming to grips with the modifications AI is giving their cities and the world.

Lots of are puzzled and desire responses.

Oakland resident Assata Olugbala, 81, requested assistance getting rid of Google’s AI bot Gemini from her gadgets after it began providing assistance she had not asked for.

“I’ve never ever welcomed it into my area,” she stated. “But it begins talking with me and addressing concerns.”

While arguments about constructing AI that exceeds human intelligence, fancy brand-new gizmos and AI costs tend to control tech occasions, computerese at last week’s Oakland Tech Week frequently had a various ambiance.

The citywide yearly occasion intends to bring innovation to daily customers and constituents, and AI was among its greatest issues.

The occasion, which ended Saturday, included panels and workshops entitled “How to develop Socially Responsive AI,” “AI in the office,” “Can AI Heal United States?” and “Master the Machine.”

Business based around the San Francisco Bay Area, consisting of OpenAI and Meta, have actually promoted AI assistants as friendly, adorable assistants for dealing with tiresome jobs. Tech employees, activists and political leaders fear that human beings might lose control of the innovation they’re advancing.

Stress and anxiety about AI’s possible risks rose last month after Anthropic scientist Jacob Coxon resigned, publishing on social networks that AI business, consisting of OpenAI, are “betting with our lives.” Executives and AI business have actually required a downturn in the innovation’s advancement, and policymakers have actually been rushing to include more guardrails.

Early recently, President Trump and tech executives from Anthropic, Google, Meta, OpenAI, Nvidia and others signed a voluntary accord to “self-police” AI advancement.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has actually signed a number of costs to make AI more secure for kids and employees. He likewise provided an executive order to accelerate the advancement of safeguards, consisting of a “kill switch” in case human beings lose control of AI.

“AI needs to broaden chance– not come at the cost of employees and households,” Newsom stated last month in a declaration.

At the OpenAI designers’ conference, held at a previous military base in San Francisco, the business’s president, Sam Altman, revealed hope.

AI protesters collect outside the OpenAI DevDay 2026 conference in San Francisco, on Tuesday, Sept 29, 2026.

(AP Photo/Josh Edelson)

” I think that the future, if we get this right, can be far more like a brand-new renaissance than a brand-new commercial transformation, “he stated on phase.”AI ought to have to do with providing individuals more power over their own lives, more tools to produce, find out, find, broaden understanding.”

Outdoors, lots of protesters held up indications that check out” No Killer Robots for ICE,” “People over AI “and”Where is your ethical codex?”

They required an end to AI monitoring and deadly self-governing weapons, along with skyrocketing San Francisco leas.

“Sam Altman, leave it. Put individuals over earnings,” protesters shouted.

Berkeley resident Matt Nichols concerned the demonstration dressed up as a killer robotic holding a chainsaw. “AI is being utilized to move us towards a security state without any responsibility,” he stated.

Lucas Lu strolled by the demonstration, directing 2 black-and-white humanoid robotics. His company rent the robotics for occasions such as OpenAI’s conference. He led them far from the singing crowd.

Some individuals fear AI due to the fact that they’re fretted it might lead to killer robotics like those in “The Terminator,” Lu stated AI can be handy.

(Paul Kuroda/For The Times)

“It’s in fact proficient at research study,”he stated.” But I will not depend upon AI to make any choice for me.”

In Oakland, in one occasion held at Mills College– part of Northeastern University’s international system– entitled “Senior Technology Day: Lifelong Learning and Digital Inclusion,”trainees and seniors discovered and taught one another about AI.

Individuals of any ages revealed issues about the innovation.

“That’s your choice in regard to whether you utilize it,” stated Norman Weekes, the AI literacy teacher and business owner who provided the subject to the group. “If you never ever utilize AI, that’s fantastic, however you need to comprehend it since … it’s going to impact individuals you like, if not yourself.”

On one hand, individuals can utilize AI to construct sites or discover activities to do. On the other, police can likewise ask for AI discussions, courts can subpoena AI chat logs and chatbots can supply incorrect details while likewise lovely individuals, he stated.

Karin Kelly-Givens, 72, utilizes an AI bot for health concerns such as how to comprehend her blood-test outcomes. Her buddies utilize Gemini to contrast look for costly products such as cleaning devices. She likewise grapples with how to utilize AI.

“Where’s the borderline?” she asked. “What should you not state? What is okay?”

Hayward resident Jason Hughes, 73, downloaded ChatGPT and Claude for the very first time. “I may utilize them both to compare or get more details,” he stated.

Fremont High School trainee May Gutierrez, 17, stated that although instructors are worried about AI being utilized to plagiarize, they’re likewise utilizing it themselves. The hopeful designer has security and ecological issues about AI, so she’s holding back in the meantime.

“Maybe I’m excessive of an optimist, however I ideally think that individuals will see the repercussions of AI and not always eliminate it, however pursue making it much better,” she stated.

Goals College Prep High School trainee Heven Adugna, who desires end up being a doctor assistant, stated she utilizes AI chatbots for research study and to assist much better comprehend mathematics ideas. Individuals are utilizing AI in health care, she believes innovation can’t change whatever.

“I would much rather have a genuine individual informing me what’s incorrect than a robotic, so from that element, I do not believe AI can truly take control of,” she stated.

Olugbala, the Oakland citizen who wished to get Google Gemini off her phone, stated she wishes to talk with genuine individuals utilizing her voice, not bots.

“I wish to have more human contact,” she stated. “I wish to return and take every chance to take a seat and get on the phone and talk.”

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