Why Those Commencement Speakers Deserved Those Boos

Commencement address season has been difficult for the speakers brought in to inspire new graduates. Videos on social media show these influential figures praising the limitless possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) during their speeches. However, graduates are entering a difficult job market burdened by student debt. Companies are using AI as a reason to slow down entry-level hiring and lay off workers. Tech executives have warned that their technologies will be job destroyers.

Gloria Caulfield, a real estate executive who spoke at the University of Central Florida’s College of Arts and Humanities, described AI as the next industrial revolution. Scott Borchetta, CEO of the record label Big Machine, told Middle Tennessee State University graduates that AI is reshaping production. The students reacted to the speakers’ overt AI enthusiasm with loud boos.

Eric Schmidt, a former Google CEO, faced similar resistance when he discussed an AI-influenced future at the University of Arizona. As shouting intensified, he acknowledged graduates’ fears that the future seems predetermined and chaotic, urging them to shape AI themselves.

Schmidt’s solution to drastic technological shifts is unclear, suggesting people should somehow overcome these challenges individually. This advice reflects a billionaire mindset aimed at young people labeled as ‘woke’ and lazy. The real issue isn’t awakening but work. It involves social mobility; college might not elevate a graduate to the middle class anymore.

Consider the graduates’ perspective: Wealthy speakers discussing a future dominated by technology feels dystopian. Companies aim to automate futures away, so it’s understandable they’re angry. Young people face a ‘looming crisis in entry-level work’ described by M.I.T. Technology Review. College no longer guarantees a secure job.

A portion of affluent Americans suggests college graduates are problematic and might be replaceable by bots. Marc Andreessen, a venture capitalist, told Joe Rogan that bots are reliable and don’t file complaints. They also don’t boo smug commencement speakers.