The AI Backlash: A Commencement Speech That Sounded a Warning

Eric Schmidt’s commencement speech at New York University was met with an unceremonious reception from the crowd, who booed and jeered him into an awkward silence. This incident is more than just another example of premeditated heckling; it reflects a growing sense of distrust among young people toward artificial intelligence.

A decade after the last major AI backlash, public opinion has shifted significantly. Polls show a net disapproval rating of -20, indicating that the intensity of disapproval for AI is worse than ever. This reaction suggests that people have finally woken up to the reality that these machines are not just harmless tools but also instruments of control and surveillance.

Schmidt’s words, dripping with condescension and hubris, seemed to confirm every worst fear that young people had about the role AI would play in their lives. He boasted, “You can now assemble a team of AI agents to help you with the parts that you could never accomplish on your own,” and “When someone offers you a seat on the rocket ship, you do not ask which seat. You just get on.” The crowd’s reaction was a resounding rejection of this vision for their future.

This backlash raises questions about our society’s priorities. Have we become so enamored with AI that we’ve lost sight of its very real consequences? We’ve spent decades warning about the dangers of automation, deskilling, and wage degradation, yet every passing day brings us closer to a dystopian future where machines do all the work while humans are relegated to the sidelines.

Journalist Brian Merchant’s words in “Blood in the Machine” are particularly relevant: it’s time for us to reject generative AI in extractive and exploitative circumstances and protect labor from deskilling and surveillance. As we hurtle towards a future where machines increasingly dominate our lives, it’s essential that we have a more nuanced conversation about what this means.

We need to ask ourselves hard questions: What are the real benefits of AI? How do we ensure that its development is guided by human values and not just corporate interests? And perhaps most importantly, what kind of world do we want to create for our children and grandchildren?

The commencement speech debacle at NYU might have been a minor embarrassment for Schmidt, but it’s also a stark reminder of the changing tides. We’re witnessing a shift in public opinion, one that signals a growing distrust of AI and all its promises. It’s high time we listened to these concerns and began to reframe our conversation about this technology.

As I watched Schmidt slink away from the stage, I couldn’t help but think of the countless commencement speeches yet to come. Will they be met with applause or heckling? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: the days of uncritical enthusiasm for AI are numbered.