Protester Interrupts Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Berlin Keynote

A protester interrupted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's keynote speech roughly 20 minutes into his address at the chip giant's artificial-intelligence conference in Berlin.

The disruption came as Huang was showcasing the company's Vera Rubin hardware, which is built to train and operate AI models. The person, who has not been publicly identified, could be heard shouting on the event's livestream.

How Did Huang Handle the Interruption?

Huang, a billionaire, kept his composure on stage. On the livestream, he was heard saying: "It's OK … go easy … give her a chance."

"Everybody has a chance to say something," Huang added, before the crowd began applauding.

He told the protesters he would speak with them later. "Thank you," he said. "All important issues, all important issues, but let me get through my keynote."

The disruption lasted about a minute in total. The person, who could not be heard well over the livestream, continued shouting throughout. At one point, the individual could be heard asking: "What are you doing about that?"

What Were the Protesters Alleging?

A trade-publication editor in the auditorium reported that activists claimed Nvidia parts had been found in Russian drones.

That claim echoes earlier reporting. The New York Times reported in August that Ukrainian officials said they had found one of the company's Jetson Orin minicomputers in a drone launched by Russia's military.

At the time of that report, Nvidia addressed the discovery in a statement. The company said the models were "consumer-grade products sold to students, developers and start-ups for a wide range of beneficial applications."

Nvidia also said the tool was not designed for military use. It said the product is not for sale in Russia, though it is available on the secondhand market.

Did the Disruption Move the Stock?

Not downward. Shares in Nvidia were up nearly 2% in premarket trading following the incident.

The Berlin interruption didn't derail the keynote's substance. Huang was presenting Vera Rubin, the next generation of hardware Nvidia builds for training and running AI models, when the shouting began about 20 minutes into the address.

Nvidia did not immediately respond to MarketWatch's request for comment on the incident.

The episode puts a fresh spotlight on questions about where Nvidia's consumer-grade hardware ends up. The company's stated position, from its August statement, is that Jetson Orin minicomputers serve students, developers and start-ups, aren't built for military use, and aren't officially sold in Russia. How the secondhand supply chain moves those products, and whether yesterday's protesters accept that answer in a promised conversation with Huang, remains the open question.