Dozens of graduates rose and left the venue as Pichai took the stage at Stanford University’s commencement ceremony June 15, according to the BBC. Video footage obtained by the broadcaster showed protesters holding signs that read “ICE spies with Google AI,” referencing the company’s contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some departing graduates also waved Palestinian flags, though the BBC reported it was unclear whether all who left were motivated by the same cause.
Pichai, who earned a graduate degree from Stanford, acknowledged the anticipated protests in his opening remarks. “People thought it would be really difficult for me,” he said. “It is the last two letters of my last name, after all.” He did not respond to a BBC request for comment. The exact number of students who walked out remained unclear; SFGate estimated roughly 200.
The demonstration is part of a broader pattern of student opposition to tech industry figures at 2026 commencements. In May, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was booed at the University of Arizona’s graduation ceremony while speaking about the rise of AI. “I know what many of you are feeling about that. I can hear you,” Schmidt told the audience as jeers rang out.
At the University of Central Florida, real estate executive Gloria Caulfield received a similar reception when she described AI as “the next industrial revolution.” At Middle Tennessee State University, Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta was also met with jeers after mentioning AI. “Deal with it, like I said, it’s a tool,” he told graduates.
The incidents underscore deepening anxiety among students about artificial intelligence and its impact on jobs, a concern that has grown more prominent on campuses throughout the spring.