Hundreds of Stanford graduates walked out of their commencement ceremony on Sunday while Google CEO Sundar Pichai was delivering the keynote address, according to a BBC report. The protest targeted Google’s military and surveillance-related contracts, including Project Nimbus, as well as agreements with ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
As the Indian-born Pichai, a Stanford alumnus, took the stage, around 200 students rose and walked out. Videos posted on social media show them waving Palestinian flags, blowing whistles, and chanting “Free Palestine” and “Shame.” Many wore keffiyehs over their graduation gowns as they left Stanford Stadium in protest.
The protest was organized by student groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and No Tech for Apartheid. Organizers accused Google of enabling surveillance and military operations through its technology. Their main concern was Google’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing and AI contract with the Israeli government and military. Protesters also criticized Google’s work with U.S. agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Despite the disruption, Pichai continued his speech, which focused on optimism, resilience, and taking on difficult challenges. The BBC reported that while Pichai mostly avoided discussing AI in his remarks, he later joked about the “AI” in his surname, saying, “After all, AI is the last two letters of my last name.”
After leaving the ceremony, many students attended a separate “People’s Commencement” held nearby to celebrate their graduation. This alternative event featured activist Mahmoud Khalil as a speaker.
Stanford University has not announced any disciplinary action following the walkout. Google has referred inquiries regarding the event to the published transcript of Pichai’s speech.
This text was edited with the assistance of an AI tool and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by India Currents.
