Sam Kirchner, co-founder of the anti-AI activist group Stop AI, has been missing for nearly two weeks following a series of escalating confrontations and alleged threats. Kirchner's disappearance began after a heated planning meeting where he disagreed with other members about the nonviolent strategy the group employed. He expressed frustration with the slow pace of the movement, stating that "the nonviolence ship has sailed for me," and allegedly assaulted Stop AI's newly elected leader, Matthew Hall (Yakko), during a dispute over organizational funds. This incident led to Kirchner's expulsion from the group.
Following his expulsion, Kirchner posted on X (formerly Twitter) about no longer being part of Stop AI. Later that day, OpenAI's San Francisco offices were put on lockdown due to information indicating Kirchner had "expressed interest in causing physical harm to OpenAI employees." The San Francisco Police Department also issued an internal bulletin citing callers who warned that Kirchner had threatened to acquire high-powered weapons and kill people at OpenAI, though his former colleagues expressed confusion about the specifics of these threats. Some Stop AI members notified authorities out of caution, even as they doubted Kirchner's capacity to act on the alleged threats.
Kirchner's friends and former colleagues believe he may be camping somewhere, as he took his bicycle but left behind his laptop and phone. They express concern for his safety, particularly if he is experiencing a mental health crisis. Remmelt Ellen, an advisor to Stop AI, warned that Kirchner had "a mental health crisis and went missing." This incident has sparked broader conversations within the AI-safety movement regarding the efficacy of different protest tactics and the potential for radicalization when individuals feel the immense pressure of perceived existential threats from AI. Kirchner, who is 27 years old, was known for his ardent belief that AI posed an imminent threat to human life, often stating that it could kill his sister.
