Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg slams Donald Trump

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg attacked Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's extreme stance on refugees and immigrants during a speech on Tuesday, criticizing "fearful voices for building walls and distancing people they view as others."

The founder of the social network spoke about Facebook's goal of sharing ideas during his company's annual F8 developer conference in San Francisco, when he said "instead of building walls, we can help build bridges," by welcoming refugees and immigrants.

"It takes courage to choose hope over fear," he said. "Whether we are welcoming a refugee fleeing war or an immigrant seeking opportunity."

Click through images of Donald Trump supporters:

Facebook launched the FWD.us immigration reform lobbying group in 2013, which advocates for legislation that supports a more open worker visa process. Trump has called for building a wall on the border with Mexico and to exclude Muslims from immigrating to the U.S. out of fear that members of the Islamic State group could pose as refugees.

Zuckerberg spoke about the next 10 years of Facebook, sharing updates about the company's projects to increase Internet access in developing countries, and to use new tools including artificial intelligence and virtual reality to improve communications.

"We stand for connecting every person, for a global community, for a free flow of ideas and culture," Zuckerberg said. "We are better off for it."

Approximately four billion people – more than half of the planet – are not connected to the Internet because they either cannot afford it, they do not live near a telecom signal or they are not aware of the options available to them.

Facebook aims to expand Web access with its Connectivity Lab, which will develop satellites, lasers and solar-powered drones to beam the Internet to developing countries from the sky. Zuckerberg announced "Facebook will launch its first satellite next year," and shared video of a solar-powered drone in production that will eventually be part of a lightweight drone fleet that can fly and broadcast signals "for months at a time."

The social network also plans to increase development of artificial intelligence to help people find what they are looking for on services like the site's newsfeed. Zuckerberg said advances in artificial intelligence in fields like medicine and autonomous car safety "can save people's lives" and also announced the company will share its progress on an open source platform with app developers to help collaborate on research.

Zuckerberg has also bet big on virtual reality with his purchase of Oculus for $2 billion, so he touted the recent launch of the Gear VR and the Oculus Rift goggles as part of a "golden age in online video" and an opportunity to make communication more in depth. Oculus will release controllers later this year that will enable users to play more complicated virtual reality games.

"Virtual reality has the potential to be the most social platform since you feel you are actually right there with another person," he said.

More from US News:
Clinton Goes Small on Sanders
Trump's Less Than Charitable Gifts
Both Parties Digging for Dirt