2026 graduates boo commencement speeches on AI
Across the country, graduates booed commencement speeches discussing artificial intelligence, from Arizona to Florida.
In one notable instance, graduates of the University of Arizona booed former Google CEO Eric Schmidt as he spoke about AI.
“I know what many of you are feeling about that. I can hear you,” Schmidt said as the crowd expressed its displeasure. “If you don’t care about science, that’s ok because AI is going to touch everything else as well. Whatever path you choose, AI will become part of how work is done.”
According to a Pew Research Center survey last June, half of U.S. adults said the growing use of AI in everyday life made them feel more concerned than excited. In a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll taken in early March 2026, 85% of Americans said it is likely that AI-generated political content will spread misinformation about November’s elections.
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