Graduating from university is one of the biggest milestones in a person's life, surrounded by peers, friends, and family. However, for students at Stanford University, the day became even more memorable, making headlines internationally.
Walkout During Commencement Address
A video of several students walking out during Google CEO Sundar Pichai's commencement address on Sunday has shocked the internet. According to reports, these students were protesting the tech giant's cloud-computing contract with the Israeli government. Around 200 students are said to have left Stanford Stadium as Pichai, an alumnus of the university, began speaking. Many carried Palestinian flags and banners, chanting 'Free, free Palestine,' reports said.
Reactions from Silicon Valley
As the video gained traction online, many criticized the students. Indian-origin billionaire Vinod Khosla, a prominent venture capitalist, called the walkout an act of 'stupidity.' On X, he wrote: 'The stupidity of these @Stanford students to take the greatest opportunity for equality in humanity ever and to really free humanity and go walk out on @google and @sundarpichai that's pioneered that.' The co-founder of Sun Microsystems labeled the students 'biased, idiotic, short-sighted and very selfish' for ignoring the 'bottom 3 billion people on this planet that could benefit from AI.'
However, netizens were less supportive of Khosla's statement. One user wrote: 'The bottom 3 billion people? Vinod, everyone from Elon to Sam and Dario has stated that this technology is going to destroy the bottom 3 billion unless we figure out how to distribute its proceeds faster than it kills jobs. You're a dumb old man.' Another added: 'Vinod: I don't doubt you believe AI can lift the bottom 3 billion. That's why these students matter: they aren't walking from AI. Google runs Project Nimbus - a $1.2B contract with the Israeli military, with 72,000+ dead in Gaza genocide. This contract has helped murder innocent people.' A third user commented: 'How dare they use their own volition? Me a billionaire, hence I know better, blah blah blah. Just shut up man. This AI is never going to solve world problems, it is only going to make people at the top loot the world more efficiently.'
Details of the Protest
The protest was organized by groups including Students for Justice in Palestine and No Tech for Apartheid, and had been announced weeks in advance. The students were protesting Google's involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud-computing and AI deal with the Israeli government, which also involves Amazon. Critics argue that this technology could be used for military purposes amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which has already led to over 73,000 deaths. 'We don't need another tech billionaire to tell us how to get rich off of the killing and surveillance of Palestinians,' Stanford SJP said in a statement before the event.
Pichai's Response
After the ceremony, a BBC journalist asked Pichai for his reaction to the protest. However, he did not respond and kept walking.
