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Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was met with boos during a University of Arizona commencement speech after discussing artificial intelligence and fears the technology could reshape – or replace – parts of the workforce.
Schmidt, who led Google from 2001 to 2011, addressed graduates on Friday while reflecting on how technology transformed society during his career. The atmosphere shifted, however, when he pivoted to artificial intelligence – a topic that has increasingly fueled concerns about job displacement among younger workers entering the labor market.
“The same tools that connect us also isolate us. The same platforms that gave everyone a voice… degraded the public square,” Schmidt told graduates.
Boos from the crowd intensified after Schmidt compared artificial intelligence to previous technological revolutions.
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“I know what many of you are feeling about that. I can hear you,” Schmidt said, appearing to address the boos. “There is a fear in your generation that the future has already been written, that the machines are coming, that the jobs are evaporating, that the climate is breaking, that politics are fractured, and that you are inheriting a mess that you did not create.”
Schmidt acknowledged those fears as “rational” but argued graduates should help shape the future of AI rather than reject it.
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“The question is not whether AI will shape the world. It will,” Schmidt said. “The question is whether you will have shaped artificial intelligence.”
The exchange underscored growing anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence as major corporations rapidly deploy AI tools across industries. Companies including IBM and Klarna have publicly discussed using AI to streamline operations and reduce certain staffing needs, particularly in administrative and entry-level roles.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found many Americans remain more concerned than excited about AI’s expanding role in daily life and the economy.
Schmidt’s appearance also drew criticism from some student activist groups over sexual assault allegations raised in a lawsuit filed last year by former partner Michelle Ritter. Schmidt has denied the allegations, which an attorney previously described as fabricated. Earlier this year, a judge ordered the dispute into arbitration.
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The University of Arizona defended its decision to invite Schmidt as commencement speaker, citing his contributions to technology and scientific research.
“He helped lead Google’s rise into one of the world’s most influential technology companies and continues to advance research and discovery through major philanthropic and scientific initiatives,” university spokesperson Mitch Zak said in a statement.
A similar incident occurred earlier this month when real estate executive Gloria Caulfield was met with boos after linking AI to “the next Industrial Revolution” during a commencement address at the University of Central Florida.
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Despite the backlash, Schmidt urged graduates to embrace open debate and innovation, arguing technological change remains inevitable.
“The future is not yet finished,” Schmidt said in his closing remarks. “It is now your turn to shape it.”
