Anti-AI Activist Sam Kirchner Disappears After Radicalization of Movement
The disappearance of a radical activist signals the anti-AI movement's shift from lawful protest to potential violence, raising concerns about escalation.
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
Sam Kirchner, co-founder of the anti-AI group Stop AI, has been missing since November 2025 after a series of escalating incidents. Kirchner was kicked out of a previous group for advocating violent tactics, then assaulted a fellow member. Stop AI members alerted police, fearing Kirchner might attack OpenAI.
In April 2026, an unidentified attacker fired 13 bullets into the home of an Indianapolis city council member and left a note reading "Data centers are off-limits." A Molotov cocktail was thrown at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home. These incidents followed the disappearance of Sam Kirchner, a radical anti-AI activist who co-founded the group Stop AI. Kirchner had been kicked out of the more moderate Pause AI US for arguing that blocking OpenAI's office was necessary. After a heated argument with a fellow member, Kirchner assaulted another member and knocked over furniture. Four days later, on November 21, 2025, he posted that he was no longer part of Stop AI and has not been heard from since. Stop AI members told police they feared Kirchner might commit murder and that OpenAI was in danger.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.