The “QuitGPT” campaign calls on users to leave ChatGPT and cancel their subscriptions. It is directed against the political entanglements of major US technology companies and represents growing criticism of the influence of private AI infrastructures on state institutions.
Political criticism as a trigger
At the center of the criticism are alleged connections between OpenAI’s leadership and US politics as well as collaborations between AI systems and government authorities. The initiators of the boycott call see this as a structural proximity between technology companies and government. The boycott call is intended to create both symbolic and economic pressure. Users are encouraged to leave the platform, cancel subscriptions, and switch to alternative services.
Limited reach
According to the organizers, tens of thousands of people have registered and several hundred thousand have expressed their support. With an estimated 900 million weekly ChatGPT users worldwide, however, this reach remains marginal. Observers point out that boycott campaigns against digital platforms rarely have measurable economic consequences as long as no critical mass of paying or institutional users is reached. The initiative nevertheless shows that AI platforms are increasingly perceived not only as tools, but as actors within political and economic power structures.