Students Boo AI at UCF, Arizona; Huang Gets Applause
SkimNews Take
The generational divide on AI suggests a growing misalignment between technological evangelism and the lived economic anxieties of those entering the workforce.
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- Gloria Caulfield gave a commencement speech at the University of Central Florida, calling AI the “next industrial revolution,” which prompted the audience to boo, then cheer when she noted AI’s recent emergence.
- Eric Schmidt faced preemptive criticism and ongoing booing at the University of Arizona when he told graduates they would “shape artificial intelligence,” amid a lawsuit alleging sexual assault.
- Jensen Huang delivered a commencement address at Carnegie Mellon University, stating AI has “reinvented computing,” and did not encounter audible pushback.
- Gallup poll found that only 43% of Americans aged 15‑34 consider it a good time to find a local job, down from 75% in 2022.
- Brian Merchant argued that AI has become “the cruel new face of hyper‑scaling capitalism,” echoing graduates’ concerns about job prospects.
Why it matters: Students' skepticism about AI signals a talent pipeline risk for AI firms, as only 43% of young adults feel confident about local job prospects, potentially slowing hiring.
