Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt booed by graduates at mention of AI

The reaction underscores a growing anxiety among students over AI's impact on jobs and their future careers. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt booed by graduates at mention of AI Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Eric Schmidt sits with his hands crossed and looks ahead. He is wearing a black suit, a white shirt, and a hot pink polka-dot tie. In the background is a blue screen that features different shades of blue. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was booed by students as he spoke about the rise of artificial intelligence during his speech at University of Arizona's graduation ceremony, underscoring growing anxiety over AI's impact on jobs. "I know what many of you are feeling about that. I can hear you," Schmidt told graduates as jeers rang out at the venue during remarks comparing today's AI boom to the rise of computers four decades ago. The reaction reflects a broader unease on campuses, where speakers who mention AI are increasingly being met with hostility from students. A recent poll suggests many students view AI as both a threat to their future and an obstacle to their intellectual development. Speaking to graduates about to enter the workforce, Schmidt conceded that their fears about AI were "rational" but urged the crowd to adapt to the sprawling technology as "AI will shape the world". He urged the graduates to think about how they will shape AI. "The future is not yet finished. It is now your turn to shape it," he said. Schmidt is not alone in drawing backlash over the issue. Gloria Caulfield, a real estate executive, saw a similar reception earlier this month at the University of Central Florida. "The rise of artificial intelligence is the next industrial revolution," she said as the crowd booed. At the mention of AI at Middle Tennessee State University commencement, Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, was also met with jeers. His response to graduates: "Deal with it, like I said, it's a tool." The tension comes amid mounting concern among young Americans about the growing role of AI in the workplace. Fearing automation, significant numbers of students are rethinking their fields of study, according to a Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2026 State of Higher Education Study. Fearing automation, significant numbers of students are rethinking their fields of study, according to a Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2026 State of Higher Education Study. They are moving away from entry-level tech or statistical analysis and focusing on critical thinking, communication, and human-centric fields, it says. Another survey conducted by the Pew Research Center suggests that half of all American adults (50%) are "more concerned than excited" about the increasing use of AI in daily life, compared to just 10% who are more excited than concerned. The fears may be elevated in areas where technology is more easily adopted to replicate information technology work, reshaping that workforce. Jurors spent nearly a month hearing and viewing evidence in the high-profile trial, where Musk had accused Altman of "stealing a charity". One of the six Americans is experiencing symptoms, according to media reports. One province in Congo reports 390 cases. Other items found with Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald's will not be allowed to be presented in court, the judge ruled. The CEO of Northern Ireland's biggest software firm says they plan to take on another 200 graduates. Paddy Rodgers said the Observatory's rich history showed the power of human knowledge and the need to avoid "dependence" on AI. Philip Wilkinson says police should spend more on technology such as drones rather than aircraft. Amy Bedford says Eurovision was "too big, too important and too loved" for her to use AI. The company said the vehicles, which use AI to drive, had encountered "a routing problem" that kept taking them to the same cul-de-sac.