By Lockridge Okoth
Publication Date: 2026-06-14 21:31:00
Stanford graduates walked out of Stanford Stadium on June 14 as Sundar Pichai opened the university’s 2026 commencement address, protesting Google’s contract with the Israeli government.
The Alphabet and Google chief executive then sidestepped artificial intelligence entirely. That was a pointed choice when other tech leaders have drawn boos this year for leaning into the topic.
A Walkout Aimed at Google, Not AI
Organizers from Stanford Students for Justice in Palestine had pledged the walkout weeks earlier. They directed it at Pichai’s company rather than at fears about automation and jobs.
Their target was Project Nimbus. The roughly $1.2 billion deal gives Israeli government agencies cloud and AI services from Google and Amazon.
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Israel’s Finance Ministry announced the agreement in April 2021. It runs for an initial seven years and covers government, defense, and security users.
Protesters argue the contract supports surveillance and…
