UCF graduates boo commencement speaker after comments about AI

In short: Some University of Central Florida graduates booed during a commencement speech after the speaker said artificial intelligence is “the next Industrial Revolution.”

What happened

At a recent University of Central Florida (UCF) commencement ceremony, invited speaker Gloria Caulfield was booed by a noticeable number of graduating students.

The ceremony was for students in the College of Arts and Humanities and the Nicholson School of Communication and Media. Caulfield is a vice president at Tavistock Development Company, a real estate and development firm in Central Florida.

During her speech, Caulfield talked about how technology is changing the job market. She described artificial intelligence, or AI (computer systems that can create text, images, audio, and video), as “the next Industrial Revolution.” When she encouraged graduates to adapt to AI, booing broke out in the arena and was loud enough to draw wider attention.

Why it matters

This moment shows how tense the AI conversation has become, especially for new graduates heading into creative and media jobs. Many people in journalism, marketing, design, film, and similar fields worry that generative AI tools could replace some entry level or freelance work, like a faster, cheaper helper that does not need to be hired. Even a common graduation message about “embracing change” can land badly when students feel that change threatens their ability to earn a living.

Source: NYTimes