Microsoft · U.S. · Google · Decrypt
Microsoft President Asks Graduates to Stop Fearing AI and Start Adapting
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Brad Smith, Microsoft's vice chair and president, has a message for the class of 2026: He hears their boos.
Key facts
- Microsoft plans to spend roughly $80 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026
- The result is a 3,000-word blog post that starts talking about how things were in 1838 and ends begging students to do all they can to move on with AI and find technology that gives them purpose
- Brad Smith, Microsoft's vice chair and president, has a message for the class of 2026: He hears their boos
- Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt got booed at the University of Arizona
Summary
Microsoft President Brad Smith published a 3,000-word essay calling graduates' AI backlash a "powerful wake-up call" for the tech industry. In his essay he advocates for adaptation while offering no concrete policy changes in response. Smith's own AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, predicted in February that most white-collar tasks would be fully automated soon. This spring, graduating students across the United States interrupted commencement speeches the moment anyone mentioned AI.