There’s a new game being played at college graduations this spring. Maybe you’ve seen it.

A commencement speaker mentions artificial intelligence, and the audience starts to boo.

The speaker continues their prepared remarks and mentions AI again. The boos build.

It appears to be great fun for the new graduates reveling in their full-throated derision of a technology many likely relied on extensively to earn the diplomas they’re about to receive.

And it is entirely tone deaf.

This dawning of the AI age is not filled with rainbows and unicorns. There are real systemic issues with which we need to wrestle.

But if a person believes they can boo their blues away, they’re in for a rude awakening.

So why would newly minted college graduates boo a commencement speaker when their entire adult life is going to be enriched by this same technology?

Because they don’t see the technology through that same lens, and because, I think, they’re scared.

Many of us are.

No Sitting This One Out

Headlines about companies laying off workers and replacing them with AI appear almost daily. This is something every working adult needs to grapple with, and some are not.

I talked with a person last week who said they hoped to avoid learning AI in their remaining years of employment.

Maybe they make it. Maybe they don’t. But their kids and their kid’s kids are grappling with this right now.

And if those kids think they can wear an “AI Hater” hat to their next interview and land a job, they’re going to be sadly mistaken.

On the always outstanding podcast, The AI Intelligence Show, Mike Kaput and Paul Roetzer talked at length about the graduations and how they thought about what was happening.

For my money, Roetzer nailed the core issue when he said:

But if you’re in that crowd, or any commencement crowd, or you’re having these feelings as a 21-year-old, a 22-year-old, I am sorry, but you’re not getting a job. Like you, you can have those feelings towards AI, and I empathize with them 100%. Like I, I understand the fear, the anxiety, even the hatred towards it. The tech isn’t going to stop. It’s not going to go away…. but if you show up to an interview and you say you hate AI, they’re not going to show you the door fast enough.

He’s right.

Businesses are actively searching for people who can use AI and apply it to improve productivity and reduce expense. It is a key marketable skill right now.

If a young person, or anyone, believes they’re going to be okay long term refusing to use AI, they’re going to be swimming against a very strong tide.

A Story Being Written

The good news is that the future has yet to be written. Every day is a new opportunity to face challenges head on, learn new skills, and think in new ways.

If you hate AI but you’re afraid of being left behind, it’s not too late. Either open a free OpenAI/ChatGPT or Claude account, or open Gemini with your Google account. Start with one simple prompt:

I do not like the impact of artificial intelligence on the environment, entry worker hiring rates, and many other factors. But I think I need to learn how to use it. Build me a 30-day program I can follow to learn how to use AI.

The prompt returns straightforward, judgment free guidance for how to get started. All you have to do is have an open mind, and stick with it.

If you would prefer having a guide by your side, I can assist with that. In my AI Trainer course, I work with professionals or small business people to tailor then teach a course customized to their goals and abilities.

To explore what might be possible, schedule a free 15-minute call. We’ll talk about where you’re at with AI so I can help you take a positive step to learning new skills and preparing yourself for tomorrow.

Which will be a whole lot more productive than booing a commencement speaker.