Khosla criticizes Stanford walkout during Pichai commencement speech

Vinod Khosla sharply criticized Stanford graduates who walked out as Google CEO Sundar Pichai delivered the university’s commencement address on Sunday. The protest put Google’s government technology contracts at the center of a high-profile campus ceremony attended by thousands, according to Stanford and protest organizers.

Khosla, the Khosla Ventures founder and Sun Microsystems co-founder, wrote on X that the students’ action was “biased, idiotic, short-sighted and very selfish.” He argued that the protesters were rejecting technology that he believes could help billions of people, writing that they ignored “the bottom 3 billion people on this planet that could benefit from AI.”

Students protested Google contracts

Stanford said its 135th commencement drew more than 20,000 attendees and included nearly 3,600 graduating students. Fortune reported that between 100 and 200 students left the venue together as Pichai, a Stanford alumnus, began his keynote remarks.

Footage and accounts cited by Fortune showed protesters carrying Palestinian flags, blowing whistles and chanting “Free Palestine.” Students for Justice in Palestine and No Tech for Apartheid said they organized the walkout.

The groups said they objected to Pichai’s appearance because of Google’s technology work involving Israel and other government agencies. In a statement cited by Fortune, organizers said they did not want “another tech billionaire” speaking to graduates while Palestinians faced “killing and surveillance.”

The protesters pointed to Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud and artificial intelligence contract involving Google, Amazon and the Israeli government, according to Fortune. Activist groups have argued that the project could be used in ways that hurt Palestinians, Fortune reported.

Student groups also cited Google’s reported contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Fortune. Bloomberg has reported that Google employees have called on the company to end contracts with ICE and Customs and Border Protection.

Pichai continued his remarks

Pichai’s address focused on his path from Chennai to Silicon Valley and advice for graduates, according to Fortune. He continued speaking during the walkout and did not comment on the protest when reporters asked him afterward, Fortune reported.

Khosla’s criticism focused on the protesters’ view of artificial intelligence. Fortune reported that he has described AI as a technology with broad equalizing potential, and he previously told the publication that AI could automate up to 80% of jobs by 2030 while also producing wider economic abundance.

The reaction drew attention because Khosla has longstanding ties to Stanford. Fortune reported that he studied at the university, built companies connected to Silicon Valley and has donated to Stanford.

The walkout followed other pro-Palestinian protests at Stanford commencements in recent years, ABC7 has reported. Fortune said the latest protest fits a wider pattern of campus activism aimed at technology companies over government contracts and AI systems.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.