Hundreds of graduates at Stanford University staged a walkout during the commencement ceremony on Sunday as Google CEO Sundar Pichai began delivering the keynote address at Stanford Stadium. Videos of the protest quickly spread across social media, showing students leaving their seats in caps and gowns while carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs. Chants supporting Palestine echoed through parts of the stadium as the demonstration unfolded during one of the university's most significant annual events.

The protest was organised by Stanford Students for Justice in Palestine, which had announced plans for the walkout several weeks before the ceremony. Demonstrators used the occasion to draw attention to Project Nimbus, a cloud computing and artificial intelligence contract awarded by the Israeli government in 2021 to Google and Amazon. Student activists and critics of the project have argued that the technology could be used to support Israeli government operations amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Project Nimbus has remained a source of controversy since its announcement and has prompted criticism from both student groups and some employees within Google. Opponents of the contract contend that advanced cloud and AI services could potentially assist military activities, while supporters maintain that the agreement provides technology infrastructure services. The debate has become part of a broader discussion about the role of major technology companies in geopolitical conflicts and government partnerships.

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Despite the protest, Pichai continued with his commencement address and did not directly acknowledge the demonstration. The Google chief executive, who earned a master's degree from Stanford University and is one of its most prominent alumni, focused his speech on resilience, personal growth, and optimism. He encouraged graduates to remain hopeful despite global challenges and reminded them that every generation faces unique difficulties.

Addressing the graduating class, Pichai urged students to choose optimism over despair and focus on how they respond to circumstances rather than the conditions they inherit. He noted that while graduates cannot choose the world they enter after university, they can determine how they view challenges and opportunities. His remarks centred on perseverance and maintaining a positive outlook during uncertain times.

Following the ceremony, BBC journalist Lily Jamali approached Pichai to seek his reaction to the walkout. A video shared online appeared to show the executive declining to engage on the issue at that moment. As of publication, Google had not issued a public statement regarding the protest. The incident has since generated significant discussion online, highlighting the continuing debate surrounding technology companies, global conflicts, and campus activism.

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