Why AI is leading to boos at 2026 college graduations : NPR

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Real estate executive Gloria Caulfield (left) was the graduation speaker at University of Central Florida and Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta spoke at Middle Tennessee State University’s graduation. Both speakers were booed by students when they brought up artificial intelligence.

University of Central Florida and Middle Tennessee State University via Storyful/Screenshots by NPR

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University of Central Florida and Middle Tennessee State University via Storyful/Screenshots by NPR

Glendale Community College’s commencement ceremonies hit a snag just as students were walking across the stage to get their diplomas last week. The wrong names were being read aloud at the ceremony, just outside Phoenix. Some of the graduates’ names didn’t even get read.

The college’s president, Tiffany Hernandez, tried to explain the problem. “We’re using a new AI system as our reader,” she said, leading to loud boos from the audience. (In a statement, the college blamed technical issues and said it had apologized to students for the experience.)

Other commencement speakers who have brought up the sweeping changes that artificial intelligence is driving are also facing boos from the Class of 2026.

Real estate executive Gloria Caulfield described AI to the graduating class of the University of Central Florida on May 8 as “the next industrial revolution.”

The boos started almost immediately.

“OK, I struck a chord,” said Caulfield.

Graduating students at Middle Tennessee State University booed when record executive Scott Borschetta told them at their May 9 commencement ceremony, “AI is rewriting…

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