Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt booed at Arizona graduation over AI remarks
Original: Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt booed after AI remarks at Arizona commencement
Why This Matters
Highlights growing public anxiety about AI's impact on employment and society
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt faced student boos during University of Arizona commencement speech when discussing AI impact on jobs. Speaking to 10,000 graduates, Schmidt acknowledged fears about AI threatening employment and called concerns rational.
Eric Schmidt, who led Google for over a decade, was booed by University of Arizona students during his commencement address when he discussed artificial intelligence's societal impact. Speaking to 10,000 graduates, Schmidt traced technology evolution from laptops to smartphones and social media, saying 'the world we built turned out to be more complicated than we anticipated.' He acknowledged that information technologies had unsettled young people and validated students' fears about AI threatening jobs. 'There is a fear in your generation that the future has already been written, that the machines are coming, that the jobs are evaporating,' Schmidt said, calling their concerns 'rational.' The incident reflects broader American anxiety about AI, with Pew research showing more Americans are worried than excited about the technology.