From classrooms to State House: Boston students join nationwide protests calling for AI oversight

BOSTON — From classrooms to the statehouse, students are making their concerns about artificial intelligence heard.

At Boston area colleges, like Northeastern, some students walked out as part of a nationwide protest, calling for AI oversight.

“I think it should be more regulated on both sides, people using it and people being blamed to use it. It’s not going to help in the long run,” Northeastern student Nian Farrell-Roman said.

Organizers, like David Green, are calling for a freeze on AI development until stronger safety measures and public oversight are in place. They warn the technology is advancing faster than policymakers can address concerns about jobs, privacy, and safety.

“I think there’s increasingly political will, increasing interest when you look at polling, you see that people are increasingly concerned about the impact of AI on all of our lives and the risk that it poses. I think that politicians need to listen to that. There needs to be a focused grassroots effort which is what we’re trying to build here, to engage with politicians and then policy needs to be crafted that can actually put that kind of pressure and regulation on AI companies,” Green said.

The demonstration comes as the national debate over AI regulation continues, with policymakers weighing how to balance innovation with potential risks.

In Boston, demonstrators brought those concerns to the State House, calling for a greater public voice in decisions that could shape the future of technology.

President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Matt Bach said, “Our demands are educators, not ed-tech. Schools, not screens. Authentic, not artificial.”

Organizers say they want this to be more than a one-day protest. They’re calling for the public to have a meaningful role in setting limits on AI development.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW