Tech leaders were previously booed at university ceremonies when they brought up AI or praised the technology [File]

| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Google CEO Sundar Pichai was snubbed at Stanford as graduates staged a walkout while Mr. Pichai delivered his speech on Sunday (June 14, 2026). A video of graduates walking, posted by an SFGate reporter on X, went viral. The video garnered both praise and censure.About 200 students walked out initially, per the outlet, and they were later joined by other protesters who disrupted Mr. Pichai’s speech. Those protesting expressed their anger over multiple issues, including Google’s contracts with Israel, as well as the technology sector’s link with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).Tech leaders were previously booed at university ceremonies when they brought up AI or praised the technology. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was recently booed by students at the University of Arizona.A week ago, Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President Brad Smith shared an open letter, in which he acknowledged both sides of the debate.“The reactions of this year’s graduates are a powerful wake-up call for the tech sector. Hopefully, leaders across our industry will listen and seek to learn from this reaction,” he wrote, adding, “Graduating students who grimace or even boo at references to AI are telling us what we need to hear, that it’s time once again to raise the bar.”At Stanford, Mr. Pichai did not make any strong remark about AI technology and its impact on people, but focused more on personal anecdotes, per the SFGate report. His speech continued even after many students walked out.Several students who walked out held up the Palestinian flag or wore the black-and-white keffiyeh scarf that has become an international sign of solidarity with Palestine. Multiple students were also seen chanting, “Free, free Palestine!” as they walked out.Project Nimbus is a joint project by Google and Amazon to supply AI and cloud services to Israel. The contract has been a flashpoint in past protests targeting the two tech giants. Pro-Palestinian advocacy groups and unions worldwide are urging tech workers to help cut off Israel’s access to U.S. technology, in an effort to secure safety for besieged Palestinian civilians. Published - June 15, 2026 01:49 pm IST