Graduates at several US universities have booed commencement speakers who promoted artificial intelligence, reflecting widespread anxiety about AI's impact on job prospects. At Middle Tennessee State University, students jeered Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, after he told them to 'deal with it' regarding AI's transformative power. Jacob Pagel, a graduate who studied political science and human development, described the remarks as 'a knife to the chest'.
Similar scenes occurred at the University of Central Florida and the University of Arizona, where students booed speakers who compared AI to the Industrial Revolution. A 2025 Harvard poll found that a majority of young Americans view AI as a threat to their careers. Sarah Kreps, a Cornell professor, said executives are 'not reading the room', as graduates have spent heavily on degrees they fear may become obsolete.
National sentiment against AI is strong: an NBC News poll showed only 26% of registered voters view AI positively, compared to 46% negatively. Anger extends beyond campuses to protests against data centres and disputes over AI replacing workers. Pagel, who plans a career in child healthcare or politics, believes human interaction remains irreplaceable, though he uses Grammarly for spelling.
PR expert Parry Headrick of Crackle PR called such speeches 'preventable PR disasters', urging executives to acknowledge student anxieties rather than dismiss them. MTSU stated it 'understands and remains compassionate' about student concerns. Borchetta did not respond to a request for comment.
