Microsoft President Asks Graduates to Stop Fearing AI and Start Adapting
Brad Smith says the wave of students booing AI at commencement speeches is a warning to the tech industry. He argues AI will disrupt entry-level jobs and pressure companies to cut headcount, creating a “perfect storm,” but says technology also creates new opportunities, like photography did for painting. Smith acknowledges serious risks: automation could reduce white-collar work, Microsoft is spending heavily on AI infrastructure, and programming job growth has already slowed. Still, he insists AI adoption should move forward, with society finding ways to spread the benefits more broadly. His advice is to think of work as a bundle of tasks, sorting what AI can do, what humans can do with AI, and what only humans can do. He highlights curiosity, creativity, compassion, communication, and courage as durable human skills.
