The AI Rebellion That Isn’t

The recent booing by college students towards commencement speakers who mention artificial intelligence has been seized upon as evidence of a growing rebellion against the technology. However, this interpretation may be too simplistic and even misleading.

On one hand, it’s undeniable that young people are increasingly skeptical of AI and its implications for their future. Yet, closer examination reveals that the booing is less about AI itself than about deeper structural issues within higher education.

The case of Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, who told graduates at Middle Tennessee State University that AI is “rewriting the production process,” illustrates this point. His comments sparked boos from the audience, which quickly spread across social media. Some saw this as evidence that students are rejecting AI outright; a more nuanced reading suggests they’re pushing back against corporate interests that have co-opted universities.

Borchetta’s own story is instructive. His record label profited from the shift to streaming and digital marketing, transforming the music industry in both beneficial and detrimental ways. On one hand, Borchetta was ahead of the curve; on the other, his company’s aggressive pursuit of profit led to conflicts with artists like Taylor Swift.

The Swift-Borchetta dispute highlights how AI and its associated technologies are being wielded by corporate interests to reshape industries like music. As Borchetta acknowledged, streaming has left recording artists struggling to make ends meet while companies reap enormous profits.

This is not a rebellion against AI per se but rather against the way it’s used to exacerbate existing inequalities within education systems and beyond. Students are pushing back against universities driven by corporate interests rather than learning itself.

The recent boos directed at commencement speakers who mention AI are less about the technology itself and more about underlying values and priorities driving its development and deployment. As we move forward in this era of rapid technological change, it’s essential to acknowledge and address these deeper issues rather than demonizing or romanticizing AI.

The booing may be a cosmic howl, as one commentator noted, but it’s also a cry for help from students desperate to reclaim the future from those who would exploit them for profit. It remains to be seen whether this movement will gain traction, but one thing is clear: the stakes are higher than ever before.

AI and the Crisis in Higher Education

The boos directed at Borchetta pale in comparison to the decades-long crisis unfolding within higher education. The accumulation of compromises – from bureaucratic universities to transactional students and overburdened faculty – has created a system that rewards ambition and efficiency over learning itself.

AI is not the cause of this crisis but rather a symptom of deeper structural problems. By exposing these issues, AI gives voice to long-simmering discontent among students who feel betrayed by institutions prioritizing profit over people.

The False Narrative of Rebellion

The narrative emerging around the booing – that young people are rejecting AI and its associated technologies – is false. In reality, students are pushing back against the way these technologies are being used to entrench existing inequalities within education systems.

This isn’t to say there’s no legitimate concern about the impact of AI on jobs and the economy. However, framing the issue as a rebellion against AI itself misses the point: the real battle is over who gets to shape the future and what values will guide its development and deployment.

The Future We Want

As we move forward in this era of rapid technological change, it’s essential that we prioritize learning and education above profit and efficiency. This means recognizing that AI is not a panacea for our problems but rather a tool that can be used to exacerbate or mitigate existing inequalities.

The future we want is one where technology serves human needs, rather than the other way around. And it starts with acknowledging and addressing deeper structural issues within higher education – including the co-optation of universities by corporate interests and the prioritization of profit over people.

The real rebellion will not be televised; it will be a grassroots movement driven by students who demand a future where learning and education come first, not last.