Graduation speaker booed for saying AI is the next industrial revolution

Is AI the next industrial revolution? Florida graduates say, “absolutely not.”

Florida-based businesswoman Gloria Caulfield, the vice president of strategic alliances for real estate firm Tavistock Development Company, was invited to speak at a graduation ceremony at the University of Central Florida.

After initially receiving a warm welcome and applause, Caulfield spoke about living in a time of profound change, saying the rise of AI is “the next industrial revolution.”

The comparison drew loud boos from the audience, leaving the speaker puzzled, though she still maintained a smile.

“Oh, what happened? Okay, I struck a chord. May I finish?” she said.

As Caulfield continued speaking about the fast-paced technological changes and mentioned that only a few years ago, AI was not a factor in our lives, the mood in the room immediately changed, with students applauding the AI-free times.

“Okay. We’ve got a bipolar topic here,” she said, seeming flabbergasted, while boos continued after mentions of AI capabilities.

Gen Z is anxious about AI reducing job prospects

The painful-to-watch video illustrates the anxieties of fresh graduates about AI and its potential impact on work, despite young people usually being the ones who embrace new technologies.

A recent Walton Family Foundation/Gallup survey found that Gen Zers’ excitement and hopefulness about AI is decreasing, while 31% feel anger and 42% feel anxiety about the technology. Nearly half (48%) of them say the AI risks outweigh the benefits.

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A report from Stanford University’s Digital Economy Lab found that employment for workers aged 22-25 declined in fields most exposed to AI, such as customer service, data entry, and coding.

The impacts are more pronounced among “knowledge workers,” who are more likely to have university degrees.

So it comes as no surprise that fresh graduates and entry-level workers, many of whom are still paying student loans, aren’t too excited about AI taking away their job prospects.

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