Shame on the College Delinquents Who Mock AI Commencement Speakers

By Paul Steidler: Over the past few days, the media has been rife with stories of college commencements where prominent speakers, like Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, are loudly booed and mocked for discussing AI. The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report are among those who have tacitly endorsed this boorish behavior by not questioning it.

Let’s get real. Booing a commencement speaker, especially a distinguished one, is a swinish act, disrespectful not only to the speaker but to fellow students who would like to hear what he or she has to say. It also shows your parents probably wasted tuition money and you lack the behavior and character to get a real job.

College graduation should be a time of unbridled optimism and determination. Students with those attitudes today know that AI can be used to address climate change, cure diseases, grow more food, and achieve other great things.

And big job opportunities abound. On August 28, 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the median annual pay for a data scientist with a bachelor’s degree was $112,590, with job growth prospects strong through 2034.

There are significant opportunities and benefits from AI, and there are important transitional issues to discuss. Civil and vigorous discussion is essential and beneficial. Heckling and the condoning of such actions are not and must not be normalized.