The Villain of This Year’s Commencement Speeches: A.I.

The Villain of This Year’s Commencement Speeches: A.I.

The Villain of This Year’s Commencement Speeches: A.I.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/dealbook/university-commencement-speech-ai.html

Publish Date: 2026-05-18 07:56:00

Source Domain: www.nytimes.com

Here’s an unordered list encapsulating the key points from your article:

  • AI Concerns Among Graduates: The article discusses the growing anxiety among recent graduate students about the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.) on their job prospects. Several commencement speeches by leaders like Eric Schmidt and Gloria Caulfield have received boos from the audience, reflecting this fear.

  • Employment Impact: Around 50% of soon-to-be graduates believe that A.I. could reduce entry-level job opportunities. Some major companies have started to automate high-skilled jobs, reflecting the technological shift threatening traditional employment.

  • A.I. in Academia: The ease of access to A.I. has made cheating widespread among college students. Students’ increasing dependency on tools like ChatGTP is raising concerns about the long-term effects on their intellectual growth and resilience.

  • Major Power Sector Deal: NextEra Energy’s proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy, aimed at creating a major power industry player, will be one of the year’s largest mergers. However, the deal’s success could hinge on regulators’ views due to concerns over data centers’ environmental impact.

  • Trump’s Trading Activity: President Trump’s trades are substantial, with over 3,700 individual trades made in the last quarter in companies like Apple and Boeing, drawing criticism from lawmakers.

  • Reputation Management and Epstein Scandal: A reputation management firm, Terakeet, was hired to minimize association between a former Goldman Sachs counsel and Jeffrey Epstein. Despite efforts, the firm struggled to ensure a favorable search result narrative.

This summary provides a gentle distillation of the article, capturing its main themes and news.