Dozens walk out as Google boss Pichai addresses Stanford graduates

Dozens of students walked out of Stanford University’s graduation ceremony as Google CEO Sundar Pichai delivered his keynote address. Protesters held signs criticizing Google’s collaboration with U.S. government agencies, including ICE, on AI projects. One sign read 'ICE spies with Google AI,' highlighting concerns over surveillance and data use. Pichai, a Stanford alumnus, made light of the protests during his speech, joking about the difficulty of his last name being associated with the backlash. However, he avoided addressing AI directly, a topic increasingly met with resistance on campuses. The BBC reported the exact number of protesters remains unclear, with estimates suggesting around 200 students left the ceremony, though some may have been motivated by unrelated issues, such as waving Palestinian flags. The protests align with broader campus unease over AI’s impact, particularly job displacement and ethical concerns. Earlier this year, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt faced boos during a University of Arizona graduation speech when discussing AI’s rise, comparing it to the computer revolution of the 1980s. Other speakers, including a real estate executive at the University of Central Florida and a music industry CEO at Middle Tennessee State University, also encountered hostility when mentioning AI. The trend underscores a growing divide between tech leaders and students, who increasingly view AI as a threat rather than a tool. Pichai did not respond to BBC’s request for comment, leaving the focus on the escalating tensions between Silicon Valley executives and academic communities.