QuitGPT Movement Gains Traction as Activists Target OpenAI Over Trump Donations

The digital landscape is witnessing an unprecedented wave of consumer activism as the #QuitGPT campaign gains momentum, compelling users to cancel their ChatGPT subscriptions in protest against alleged political donations by OpenAI executives to former President Donald Trump. According to quitgpt.org, a coalition of technologists, ethicists, and concerned users has compiled public financial records showing that key figures at OpenAI—including board members and senior leadership—have contributed over $3 million to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and associated PACs. The organization frames its mission as a moral imperative: "You shouldn’t use AI built by people bankrolling authoritarianism."

The movement, which launched in late January 2024, has rapidly evolved from a niche Reddit thread into a global phenomenon. Its website features a petition with over 250,000 signatories and a public dashboard tracking user actions: 187,000 have committed to stop using ChatGPT, 62,000 have canceled paid subscriptions, and more than 1.2 million have shared the campaign on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram. The campaign’s stark visual identity—a bold black-and-white logo with the slogan "QuitGPT"—has become a digital symbol of resistance among tech-savvy progressives.

While OpenAI has not publicly confirmed the donation figures cited by QuitGPT, financial disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) corroborate contributions from individuals affiliated with the company. Notably, a former OpenAI board member, who remains unnamed by the campaign but identified by public records as a senior executive, donated $500,000 to a Trump-aligned Super PAC in December 2023. Another executive, linked to OpenAI’s venture arm, contributed $750,000 to a pro-Trump political action committee. These disclosures, verified by PCMag and Tom’s Guide, have fueled accusations of hypocrisy, given OpenAI’s public stance on ethical AI and democratic values.

Users participating in the boycott cite moral dissonance as their primary motivator. "I use ChatGPT for my thesis research," wrote one graduate student on Reddit, "but I can’t justify funding someone who wants to dismantle reproductive rights and attack the press." Similar sentiments echo across university campuses, tech forums, and progressive organizations in Europe and Asia. South Korea’s MK News reported that the campaign has gained traction among Seoul-based AI researchers, with some institutions advising staff to avoid OpenAI tools pending further transparency.

OpenAI has yet to issue a formal response to the allegations. However, in a quiet internal memo obtained by a source familiar with company operations, leadership reportedly instructed employees to "avoid public commentary on political donations" and to "focus on product delivery." Critics argue this silence is complicity. Meanwhile, rival AI platforms such as Anthropic’s Claude and Meta’s Llama have seen surges in sign-ups, with some offering free tiers explicitly marketed as "ethically sourced AI."

The #QuitGPT campaign underscores a broader cultural shift: consumers now demand not just functional technology, but ideological alignment. As AI becomes embedded in education, journalism, and healthcare, the question is no longer just "Can it do the job?" but "Who built it—and what do they stand for?" Whether this movement leads to lasting policy changes at OpenAI—or simply becomes another viral flashpoint—remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: in the age of artificial intelligence, ethics are no longer optional.