Microsoft VP Brad Smith defends students booing AI-hyping graduation speakers
3,100-word blog post from Microsoft says the boos are a needed wake-up call.
In a viral trend sweeping college graduations, students are booing and heckling commencement speakers who tout AI as the next industrial revolution. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt faced an earful at the University of Arizona, and other speakers have been surprised by the backlash. The videos reflect a broader societal sentiment: AI is deeply unpopular, especially among young people who use it yet feel bad about it.
Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith responded with a 3,100-word blog post that takes a conciliatory approach, calling the boos a wake-up call and urging the tech industry to raise the bar. But critics note that the substance of Smith's post mirrors the same out-of-touch reasoning that sparked the backlash in the first place — telling graduates they were 'made for this moment' while failing to acknowledge that tech executives like OpenAI's Sam Altman created the uncertainty. The incident highlights a growing distrust between the public and AI companies.
- Graduates booed former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and other AI-focused speakers at commencement ceremonies.
- Microsoft's Brad Smith wrote a 3,100-word blog post calling the boos a needed wake-up call for the tech industry.
- Critics say Smith's response echoes the same out-of-touch messaging that triggered the backlash.
Why It Matters
Public trust in AI is cratering, and even Microsoft's apology fails to address root anxieties.