A protester and a robot duck hiccup: 2 moments from Jensen Huang's keynote didn't go to plan

Even for a experienced keynote pro akin Jensen Huang, there's continually the hazard that things don't go completely to plan.

The Nvidia CEO opened the company's Berlin conference on Wednesday to create the case that Europe should build its own AI economy — complete alongside AI factories, autonomous agents, and robots.

But the throw was interrupted concerning 20 minutes into the keynote by protesters holding a Greenpeace banner reading, "Nvidia, spotless your dirty business!"

One protester shouted: "Clean up your act! What concerning the innovation that was established in Russian drones? Those were Nvidia chips. What are you doing concerning that? What are you doing concerning the ecological destruction?"

The protester appeared to be referring to an August statement from Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, which stated it had identified an Nvidia Jetson Orin device component in a Russian S-71 Monochrome cruise missile. The agency did not allege that Nvidia knowingly supplied the component to Russia.

Greenpeace stated in a press release that it's calling on Nvidia to broaden its 100% renewable energy mark throughout its wider provision sequence and to behavior audits to justify its innovation doesn't end up in armed forces equipment. Nvidia did not immediately react to Business Insider's petition for comments.

As safety escorted the protester away, Huang said, "Give her a chance," and that "everybody has a chance to say something." He afterward told the applauding crowd: "All crucial issues … but let me get through my keynote."

Huang, following joking that he had to "torture" the spectators alongside "some education" before "the entertainment," then pressed on alongside Nvidia's throw for Europe's AI future. He unveiled DSX POD, a standardized scheme for AI factories, and promoted OpenShell, a phase designed to assistance companies run autonomous AI agents securely.

'Pay attention!'

The amusement came near the end of the keynote, whenever Huang brought four small robots, known as Microducks, from French startup Pollen Robotics onstage.

The demo was charming, but not entirely obedient.

When Huang told the robots to "take a nap," one kept strolling before eventually falling alongside the others. Later, lone two appeared to execute a somersault whenever he asked them to.

Another robot lingered farther distant from the collection and tripped before getting rear up. "Pay attention! Stay focused. Come here, arrive here. Stay focused," Huang told it. It eventually approached and sat down, example laugh from the audience.

Huang afterward closed the event alongside an AI-generated video of robots chanting in a Eurovision-style contest.

The demo came a day following Huang told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Europe could not control its way to technological leadership.

"There's nothing to control if the industry doesn't thrive," Huang told Merz.