Graduates Discover Hope by Taking Down Tech CEOs in Tough Times

University graduates are expressing their frustration with corporate leaders who tout AI during graduation ceremonies, and the executives seem genuinely taken aback by the backlash.

In a series of viral clips, commencement speakers in 2026, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, faced loud boos from students after promoting AI as an essential part of their future. These reactions resonate with young people stepping into a challenging job market amid growing uncertainty.

“They’re getting exactly what they deserve,” said Penny Oliver, a recent political science graduate from George Mason University. “Some might say they’re getting off easy. I’m not advocating for harm, but it highlights a disconnect and arrogance on their part.”

At the University of Arizona, Schmidt encountered a wave of disapproval while urging graduates to embrace AI. “When someone offers you a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask which seat. You just get on,” he told the frustrated crowd. The outrage was clear; as journalist Marisa Kabas noted, “these young people have already been forced onto the ship and there aren’t enough seats.”

Just a week earlier, Gloria Caulfield, an executive in property development, was similarly surprised by the chilly reception from arts and humanities students at the University of Central Florida, where she referred to AI as “the next industrial revolution.” At Middle Tennessee State University, Scott Borchetta, a music industry CEO, dismissed AI critics with a condescending speech, telling students to simply “deal with it.” With graduation season in full swing and online videos amplifying anti-AI sentiments, these incidents are likely just the beginning.

“Of course people are going to be mad and boo. Why shouldn’t they?” Oliver remarked. “They’ve invested tens of thousands in an education meant to open doors, and here’s this guy [Schmidt], who could live comfortably without working again, telling them to embrace a technology that threatens their livelihoods.”

For many graduates, the bewildered reactions of these speakers highlight a significant gap between tech advocates pushing AI and the young individuals who must navigate its repercussions, which jeopardize everything from job security to critical thinking skills. The dismissive attitude from speakers suggests that not only must graduates accept this technology, which contributes to their anxiety and dwindling job prospects, but they should also embrace it.

“It shows a complete lack of connection to real people, which doesn’t surprise me,” said Austin Burkett, a game designer who recently earned his MFA at the NYU Game Center.

Burkett considers himself fortunate; he secured a job on Pocket Bard, a mobile app for tabletop RPG enthusiasts, who are generally skeptical of AI. However, he noted that some classmates have resorted to temporary gig work training AI models that are replacing them, and graduates are justified in their anger toward corporate leaders who adopt a flippant “adopt-or-die” stance on technology.

“These executives don’t worry about rent or job security,” Burkett added. “Those claiming ‘it’s just a tool’ are the ones who can afford that perspective. It shifts the blame onto individuals and perpetuates the myth that these companies have no ulterior motives or profit-driven agendas.”

Reactions to AI-promoting commencement speakers can vary based on the audience’s major. The most intense responses have come from liberal arts and humanities students, many of whom aspire to enter creative fields threatened by generative AI tools. At CalArts, President Ravi Rajan was booed off stage by graduates from the renowned animation school, facing backlash for cutting creative programs and promoting AI partnerships with tech firms.

This student anger coincides with a broader trend where young people across various fields are pressured to adopt generative AI tools, even as employers use these same technologies to justify hiring freezes and layoffs. Polls indicate that while students and Gen Z are frequent users of AI tools, they remain highly skeptical of Silicon Valley and have emerged as some of the technology’s fiercest critics.

This skepticism is fueled by witnessing AI’s failure to meet its promises. At a Glendale Community College commencement, the audience erupted in boos when the college president announced that the new AI system had failed to read over half the graduates’ names during the ceremony. Additionally, a recent report revealed that a nonfiction book about truth in the age of AI contained numerous fabricated or misattributed quotes generated by AI.

“Society is restructuring itself around a tool that simply doesn’t work,” writer Margaret Killjoy commented. “If you needed to build a bridge, you wouldn’t hire a structural engineer who gets it right 70% of the time. You wouldn’t read a history book that is 30% fiction without knowing which parts are made up.”

It’s important to recognize that much of the anger directed at AI is amplified through tech platforms that thrive on engagement and fleeting outrage. While viral videos can be a source of catharsis and community, graduates like Oliver understand that this energy must be channeled into meaningful action.

“There’s definitely a sense of catharsis, especially when it feels like the wealthy face no consequences,” Oliver said regarding the viral videos. “It’s possible to turn this outrage into something impactful, but it requires collective effort.”

One concrete example of this mobilization is the growing movement against AI data centers. A recent Gallup poll found that 70% of Americans oppose building these facilities in their communities, leading to the cancellation or delay of nearly half of proposed data center projects this year. The environmental concerns and energy demands associated with data centers have galvanized opposition to the tech industry’s AI expansion, and some graduates are inspired by the activism of their peers.

“Despite the urge to feel hopeless, I see a glimmer of hope in my generation,” Burkett noted, referencing a theater production by high school students addressing the environmental issues linked to AI. “It’s encouraging to see that it’s not just those with degrees who care, but young people who are passionate about these issues.”