Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt delivered the commencement address at the University of Arizona on Friday. And, as his speech delved into the discussion of AI, he faced repeated criticism. AI is already a controversial topic, and it’s not surprising that those about to enter the ravaged job market feel particularly negative about it.
According to, Schmidt acknowledged the concern business insiderSaying that the fear that “the machines are coming, that jobs are being lost, that the climate is worsening, that politics is fragmented, and that you’re inheriting a mess you didn’t create” was “rational”. But Schmidt’s frustration was also evident, as he walked quietly behind the podium and asked the crowd to let him speak.
After all, he told the graduates, “When someone offers you a seat on a rocketship, you don’t ask which seat, you just sit down.” Such comments are not surprising coming from someone who just last year called AI “underhyped.” But this is another example of Silicon Valley’s inability to read the room. Gloria Caulfield didn’t even get the memo. Public opinion has increasingly turned against AI, but companies are infusing it into every part of our lives, whether we want it or not.
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