– AI will shape the future, and it’s up to this generation to influence how it’s developed and used.
– The audience expressed fear about job displacement and societal impacts, highlighting concerns over the pace of change and algorithmic influence.
– Leaders should acknowledge these concerns, address the ethical and employment implications, and focus on proactive, responsible AI adoption.
The former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, who ran the company from 2001 to 2011, was recently booed by a stadium full of students at the University of Arizona’s 162nd commencement ceremony last Friday. The crowd grew even more hostile when he started discussing AI on stage. Thousands of University of Arizona graduates were packed into the Casino Del Sol stadium, and the booing began right before he jumped into his main topic.
AI sparks mixed reactions at the desert gathering
Whenever Schmidt uttered the words “AI” or “artificial intelligence,” the booing resumed and grew louder each time. He opened his discussion by looking back on how past technological breakthroughs built what he calls a “cathedral of knowledge.” There is a sense that the crowd wanted celebration, but the topic of AI unsettled many. The scene mixed awe with anxiety, making the atmosphere tense and charged as the talk unfolded.
Schmidt frames AI as a turning point
It was an inspiring analogy for some, but things grew tense when he brought up AI. He stated, “Last December, Time magazine selected its Person of the Year for 2025, and this time it was the architects of artificial intelligence.” The remark landed with mixed reaction, as some graduates pictured opportunities, while others saw risk. The response underscored a broader debate about employment shifts and technological pace.
An uneasy reception accelerates the moment
Of course, this upset the crowd, many of whom are expected to find themselves exposed to a rapidly changing job market, and they responded by jeering. Things got so intense that Schmidt had to pause before directly addressing the University of Arizona graduates:
“I know what many of you are feeling about that. I can hear you. There is a fear in your generation that the future has already been written, that the machines are coming, that jobs are evaporating, that the climate is breaking, that politics is fractured, and that you are inheriting a mess that you did not create. And I understand that fear.”
He calls concerns rational and points to algorithms
He described all these concerns as “rational” and blamed social media algorithms for worsening them. Schmidt then tried to shift the narrative, saying, “The question is not whether AI will shape the world. It will. The question is whether you will help shape artificial intelligence.”
Closing notes and a call to action
Later in his speech, Schmidt also said, “If you don’t care about science, that’s okay… because AI is going to touch everything else as well. Whatever path you choose, AI will become a part of how work is done.”
At this point, the boos reached their peak, but Schmidt continued, saying, “The future is not yet finished. It is now your turn to shape it.”
A concern that lingers beyond the stage
However, the audience’s reaction made it clear that many young graduates are deeply concerned that AI could eliminate entry-level positions across multiple industries.
