Eric Schmidt Booed at University of Arizona Graduation Over AI Comments

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was repeatedly booed during a commencement speech at the University of Arizona on Sunday when discussing artificial intelligence. Schmidt, who led Google for a decade, reflected on the evolution of computers from Time magazine's 1982 "Person of the Year" to laptops, smartphones, and social media. He acknowledged both the positive impacts—connecting people, democratizing knowledge, lifting many from poverty—and the negative: degrading public discourse, rewarding outrage, amplifying worst instincts. When he drew parallels between AI and the computer revolution, the audience booed. Schmidt addressed the fear that jobs are evaporating, climate is breaking, politics is fractured, and graduates are inheriting a mess. He argued the future is unwritten and urged embracing freedom, open debate, equality, and diverse perspectives, including immigrants. University of Arizona spokesperson Mitch Zak defended the invitation, citing Schmidt's leadership and philanthropic initiatives. The incident echoes similar booing of real estate executive Gloria Caulfield at the University of Central Florida earlier this month over AI remarks.