Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

American college graduates have made one thing clear to this year’s batch of commencement speakers: avoid bringing up artificial intelligence (AI), AzerNEWS reports, citing an article by BBC.

Some of the biggest names in tech, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, have faced boos from audiences when mentioning the technology during graduation speeches.

At Stanford University, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Google CEO Sundar Pichai—whose company is one of the leading developers of AI—lightened the mood by joking that he had been advised to steer clear of the topic altogether.

Despite the remark, a group of graduates still walked out during his speech. Some carried protest signs, including one that read “ICE spies with Google AI,” while others were seen waving Palestinian flags.

Stanford University occupies a unique position in the U.S. technology ecosystem. It is widely regarded as a major hub of innovation and sits in close proximity to some of the world’s most influential Big Tech companies, many of which are deeply involved in artificial intelligence development. Its graduates often enter the job market with strong advantages in the tech sector.

However, even in this environment, criticism and discomfort around AI were clearly visible.

The BBC spoke with Stanford graduates shortly after Pichai’s address, and their views on artificial intelligence varied significantly. Some expressed fear about its impact on jobs and society, others were enthusiastic about its potential, but nearly all agreed on one point: AI is already transforming the world around them, whether people are ready for it or not.

This reaction reflects a broader generational tension emerging in the United States, where younger audiences are increasingly questioning not just the benefits of AI, but also issues such as surveillance, data privacy, and the concentration of power in large technology companies.