By Edward Helmore
Publication Date: 2026-05-18 13:15:00
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was met with boos from students as he addressed the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact at a college commencement address in Arizona on Sunday.
Schmidt – who led the tech giant for more than a decade, amassing a multibillion-dollar fortune in the process – addressed up to 10,000 University of Arizona graduates as he discussed the impact of modern technology on society.
The topic struck a nerve with students as he traced the evolution of technology from the laptop – which he said “democratized knowledge” and led to wealth – to the smartphone, the internet and social media.
“We thought we were adding stones to a cathedral of knowledge that humanity had been building for centuries, but the world we built turned out to be more complicated than we expected,” Schmidt said.
“The same tools that connect us also isolate us. The same platforms that…
