The AI Hype Index: Graduation Season Reveals Skepticism Towards AI

2026-05-28 · MIT Tech Review AI · Original

While many tout AI as a transformative force for the future, reactions from the graduating class of 2026 suggest otherwise. During a graduation speech at the University of Arizona, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt encouraged the new graduates to play a role in shaping the future of AI. However, his remarks were met with unexpected disapproval, as the audience responded with loud boos. This incident sheds light on the growing skepticism surrounding AI among younger generations, emphasizing a disconnect between the industry's optimism and the graduates’ apprehensions about the implications of artificial intelligence in their lives and careers.