On June 14, 2026, approximately 200 graduates walked out of Stanford University's commencement ceremony as Google CEO Sundar Pichai began his speech, according to multiple reports. The protest was organized by student groups opposing Google's involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with the Israeli government.
Witnesses reported that the walkout occurred shortly after Pichai took the stage, with some students holding Palestinian flags and signs reading 'No tech for genocide.' The protest was peaceful, and the ceremony continued after a brief pause.
Stanford University confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the walkout involved a small fraction of the approximately 5,000 graduates. Pichai's speech, which focused on innovation and responsibility, was not disrupted beyond the initial walkout.
Project Nimbus has been a source of controversy since 2021, with critics arguing it enables human rights abuses. Google has defended the contract, stating it provides cloud services to multiple Israeli government agencies under strict compliance with international law.
