Around 200 Stanford students walk out as Google CEO takes stage
SFGATE • • business
Key Points:
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai avoided mentioning artificial intelligence during his Stanford University commencement speech, a notable choice given the technology's prominence and previous backlash at similar events.
- Approximately 200 students walked out and protested during Pichai's speech, condemning Google's ties to the Israeli government, particularly its $1.2 trillion Project Nimbus cloud-computing deal with Israel.
- The protests at Stanford followed a pattern of demonstrations related to Israel’s war in Gaza and the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian activism, with students organizing an alternative "People’s Commencement" featuring activist Mahmoud Khalil.
- Despite initial disruptions, Pichai’s personal stories about his immigrant background and career challenges were met with positive reactions from the audience.
- Pichai contrasted with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who was booed at a recent University of Arizona commencement for emphasizing AI's pervasive impact, highlighting Pichai's focus on broader themes of accessibility rather than direct technological advancement.
