Students organise nationwide rallies against artificial intelligence

A student-led national day of action against artificial intelligence (AI) and mega data centres was held on November 10. The rallies were called by Students for AI Regulation (SAR), a group of high school and university students, and supported by the Tomorrow Movement. 

SAR said students are “terrified of the impact AI is going to have on our future”. “It’s easy to wallow in AI news and climate disasters but … we must act now!”

Speakers at the Gadigal Country/Sydney rally highlighted successful campaigns against AI data centres in Arncliffe, Lane Cove and the Blue Mountains, and called on people to join the December 5 statewide rally against data centres.

Paddy Gibson from Stop the Cooks River AI Project said defeating the project was an important win for people power. He said the fight is not over, as the community wants to stop the developer Stockland’s other plans for the former Kogarah Golf Club site.

Gibson said students and staff at universities and schools are raising important anti-AI demands and cited the National Tertiary Education Union’s push to include AI protection clauses in enterprise agreements. 

Robin, a student at the University of New South Wales, high school teacher and campaigner with Students Hate AI, said it was being forced on teachers and students.