Greenpeace Protest Disrupts Nvidia's GTC Keynote Over Russian Drones Using Company's AI Chips

Greenpeace Protest Disrupts Jensen Huang GTC Keynote

Protesters from Greenpeace interrupted Jensen Huang's keynote address at Nvidia's GTC event in Berlin on Wednesday morning, confronting the CEO about reports of Nvidia chips found in Russian drones deployed against Ukraine1

1

2

2

. Just 20 minutes into his customary address, multiple activists stood on chairs and unfurled a large banner reading "Nvidia, clean up your dirty business!" with the Greenpeace logo prominently displayed1

1

2

2

. A heckler called out across the auditorium: "Jensen, what about the technology that was found in Russian drones? Those were Nvidia chips. What are you doing about that?"1

1

Nvidia Chips in Russian Drones Spark Ethical Concerns

The protest centers on documented evidence that Nvidia's Jetson Orin modules have appeared in Russian military hardware used in Ukraine. Ukrainian forensic teams discovered these AI chips in Russia's S-71 "Monochrome" cruise missile, which features autonomous targeting capability powered by the consumer-grade Jetson Orin chip1

1

2

2

. In August, reports emerged of a Russian AI drone killing three civilians in Ukraine—the first documented case of civilian deaths caused by a Russian drone using fully autonomous targeting1

1

. Images of recovered drones confirmed they contained Jetson Orin modules, raising urgent questions about the ethical use of AI chips and military applications of AI technology1

1

.

Nvidia's Response to Military Repurposing of Consumer Hardware

Nvidia has maintained that its Jetson Orin modules are consumer-grade products sold to students, developers, and startups for beneficial applications1

1

2

2

. The company emphasized that these chips are not available in Russia and are not designed for military purposes1

1

2

2

. However, Nvidia admitted it cannot track the resale of pre-owned Jetson chips after initial purchase, highlighting a significant gap in supply chain oversight1

1

2

2

. Sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine bar the country from buying such hardware, yet the chips continue appearing in Russian weapons through secondary markets2

2

.

Jensen Huang's Measured Response During the Disruption

As security rushed to remove the protesters, Jensen Huang demonstrated restraint, telling staff to "go easy" and stating "Give her a chance. Everybody has a chance to say something"2

2

. The Nvidia CEO acknowledged the protesters with "I'll talk to you later" before quipping "All important issues, but let me get through my keynote" as they were escorted out1

1

2

2

. He then resumed his presentation, which covered Nvidia's OpenShell software for AI agents, new data centre designs, and a reference humanoid robot2

2

. Nvidia's official live blog of the keynote made no mention of the interruption2

2

.

Broader Environmental Concerns and Greenpeace Campaign

The protesters also raised questions about environmental destruction, reflecting Greenpeace's ongoing campaign against Nvidia1

1

2

2

. In March, Greenpeace USA drove a billboard truck around Nvidia's GTC conference in San Jose, calling on the company to power its supply chain with wind and solar energy2

2

. Greenpeace East Asia reports that Nvidia's supply chain emissions more than doubled in three years, adding pressure on the company to address its environmental footprint alongside concerns about military repurposing of its technology2

2

. The incident at GTC Berlin underscores mounting scrutiny over how AI chip manufacturers can prevent their consumer products from being weaponized while maintaining transparency about their supply chains.