Commencement speakers face backlash for discussing AI with college graduates amid entry-level job losses

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt joined other commencement speakers who have been booed on stage as frustration with AI builds among the Class of 2026.

The article advises speakers to avoid AI-related topics and triggering terms including "software," "robots," "data centers," "chips," "gas turbines," "self-driving cars," and "agents" when addressing graduates facing major advances in software automation that are eliminating entry-level positions.

Graduates have experienced a global pandemic, climate change, wars in Ukraine and Iran, and are now confronting job market pressures from AI, making traditional tech-optimism messaging unwelcome at graduation ceremonies.