Graduates Boo AI at Multiple Commencements
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- Eric Schmidt was booed repeatedly while discussing AI at the University of Arizona's commencement ceremony.
- Gloria Caulfield called AI "the next industrial revolution" at the University of Central Florida's commencement, prompting boos from arts and humanities graduates.
- Scott Borchetta warned Middle Tennessee State University graduates that AI is rewriting production, drawing boos; he replied, "deal with it… It's a tool."
- Tiffany Hernandez blamed an AI system for skipping several students' names at Glendale Community College, and was immediately booed.
- Jensen Huang told Carnegie Mellon graduates that AI will be a net positive and change every industry, and faced no audible pushback.
- Axios Harris Poll found 42% of Gen Z believe AI will harm job opportunities and wages, higher than 33% of millennials, 39% of Gen X, and 37% of baby boomers.
- Meta, Pinterest, and Block have cited AI automation as a factor in recent layoffs, highlighting concerns about AI’s impact on jobs.
Why it matters: The booing shows that a sizable share of Gen Z and other young workers fear AI-driven job displacement, which could pressure educators, employers, and policymakers to address skill gaps and job security, while companies citing AI-driven layoffs underscore real labor market impacts.
