Stanford graduates walk out as Google chief addresses commencement
A Stanford student group said the protest targeted Google’s work with Israel as Sundar Pichai avoided a direct AI pitch in his speech.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Hundreds of Stanford graduates left their commencement ceremony Sunday as Google CEO Sundar Pichai began speaking, according to a campus activist group and local media. The protest put the head of one of Silicon Valley’s most powerful companies at the center of student anger over Google’s business ties to Israel and unease around artificial intelligence.
Stanford’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine said on Instagram that it organized the walkout. The group accused Google of working with the Israeli government and with companies including Palantir, the data analytics and AI firm that Bloomberg has reported has a strategic partnership involving Israeli military technology.
SFGate reported that about 200 graduates walked out. The Stanford SJP chapter said hundreds of students took part.
Pichai, who earned a master’s degree from Stanford, was invited to address the university’s 2026 graduating class. Fortune reported that Google referred questions about the protest to Pichai’s remarks at the ceremony, while Stanford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Project Nimbus drew student criticism
The student group’s objections centered in part on Project Nimbus, a cloud computing deal Israel signed in 2021 with Google and Amazon. Al Jazeera has reported the contract is worth $1.2 billion and gives Israeli government agencies access to cloud and AI services.
Pro-Palestinian activists have criticized the contract for years, arguing that the technology could assist Israeli military operations. The Intercept has reported that critics say Project Nimbus includes AI tools that can support facial recognition and object tracking.
Google has also faced protests from some of its own workers over the same contract, according to Fortune. The Stanford SJP chapter said Pichai was met by students who rejected appeals tied to money and rapid AI development.
The Sunday demonstration followed similar pro-Palestinian commencement walkouts at Stanford in 2024 and 2025, according to the Stanford Daily. Those protests were also organized to oppose U.S. ties to Israel and show support for Palestinians.
AI remained in the background
Pichai’s appearance came during a commencement season in which some technology executives have faced hostile responses from graduates over AI. Fortune reported that University of Central Florida graduates booed real estate executive Gloria Caulfield after she called AI the next Industrial Revolution, and that former Google CEO Eric Schmidt paused during a University of Arizona speech after audience members hissed at remarks about AI’s role in young people’s lives.
Pichai did not directly mention AI in his Stanford speech, according to Fortune. In the address, he said many people had advised him on what to avoid saying and told graduates to stay optimistic, pursue work that excites them and keep perspective.
Before the ceremony, Pichai addressed the possibility of boos during an appearance on The New York Times’ Hard Fork podcast. He said young graduates would help drive technological progress while also handling its effects, adding that leaders should be mindful of those pressures.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.