Former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt was roundly booed by students during a university commencement address on Sunday.
The tech billionaire faced a hostile reception at the University of Arizona as he spoke to an audience of as many as 10,000 graduating students. A spokesperson for the university defended the choice of speaker. The institution stated that Schmidt had been invited for his 'extraordinary' contributions to technology and innovation.
However, the address took a tense turn when Schmidt began discussing the impact of modern technology on society. The topic struck a deep nerve of anxiety within the graduating student body.
Schmidt traced the evolution of modern tech, starting with the laptop. He argued that personal computers had 'democratised knowledge' and led to global prosperity. He then tracked the rise of the smartphone, the internet, and social media.
The former tech executive admitted that modern information technologies, including Artificial Intelligence or AI, had deeply unsettled young people. It was at that point when loud shouting and jeers erupted across the stadium. The backlash intensified when Schmidt acknowledged fears that AI threatens to deprive graduates of their future careers.
'I know what many of you are feeling about that,' Schmidt said. 'I can hear you. There is a fear.'
Schmidt Gave the Graduates Some Advice
Schmidt conceded that the students' fears regarding the job market were entirely 'rational.' However, he urged the crowd to adapt. He encouraged them to shape how AI will be used in the future, rather than letting technology shape them.
'If you don't care about science, that's okay, because AI is going to touch everything else as well,' Schmidt explained. 'Whatever path you choose, AI will become part of how the work is done.'
'You can now assemble a team of AI agents to help you with the parts that you could never accomplish on your own,' he continued. 'When someone offers you a seat on the rocket ship, you don't ask which seat, you just get on. The rocket ship is here. Let me give you some advice. First, find a way to say yes.'
What Studies Say About AI
The friction in Arizona highlights a growing national anxiety over AI technology. Research by the Pew Research Center shows that roughly half of Americans feel 'more concerned than excited' about the increasing prevalence of AI in daily life, per The Guardian.
Experts note that these anxieties are often higher in sectors where AI can easily replicate information technology tasks, threatening to rapidly reshape the white-collar workforce.
The reception stood in contrast to other recent university addresses. At the science-focused Carnegie Mellon University, NVIDIA Chief Executive Jensen Huang offered a far more optimistic outlook.
Huang told graduates there was no better time to 'begin your life's work' than right now, despite widespread tech layoffs. He argued that AI will ultimately prove to be a net positive for humanity. He maintained that the technology is closing the traditional 'technology divide' and insisted that these new digital opportunities will heavily favour young people entering the market.
