Graduates Booing AI

The other day, I saw a video from a university graduation ceremony in the United States.

The speaker seemed to be an important person from Google.

I can roughly imagine what the speech was about.

“AI will change the world.”

“What matters now is how we use AI.”

“Do not fear change. Take on the challenge.”

It sounds like something written in almost any business book.

But there was booing from the audience.

At first, I thought, “American students are energetic.”

But after thinking about it a little, I can understand how they felt.

After graduation, job hunting is waiting for them.

And in that job market, AI has already started cutting into the work humans used to do.

Especially junior-level work.

I feel this in the field as well.

Research, documentation, simple implementation, test case creation.

These were tasks that used to be assigned to new graduates or junior staff.

Now AI can handle a large part of them.

Of course, it is not a complete replacement.

But it is also true that companies are beginning to compare options like, “Should we hire three juniors, or should we subscribe to AI?”

In that situation, when someone on stage says,

“Let’s make good use of AI!”

the natural response may be,

“Before that, give us jobs.”

The Entry-Level Jobs Are Disappearing

I have also heard that anti-AI sentiment among younger generations has become quite strong recently.

This is not just caution toward a new technology.

Their career starting line itself is being shaken.

So it is only natural.

In the past, there was a standard route:

“Gain experience and grow.”

But now, the very jobs that allow people to gain that experience are starting to be eaten by AI.

It is unreasonable to tell people not to feel anxious under those conditions.

Searching for a Safer Major

In another article, I read about a student who entered university aiming to become a business analyst, but later changed their major to marketing.

The reason was simple.

Marketing seemed less likely to be replaced by AI.

I see the logic.

It is a smart decision.

Move away from an industry that looks dangerous and shift to a place that still seems relatively safe.

That is rational.

But that student will graduate several years from now.

Looking at the current AI industry, no one can say what will still be a safe zone by then.

Resentment Toward the People Building AI

What concerned me even more was that the resentment is apparently not only toward AI itself, but also toward the people who build AI.

There have apparently even been survey results showing resentment toward AI company CEOs.

In the past, IT companies were heroes building the future.

At least, that was the image they had.

But now, from the perspective of some young people, they may look like:

“The people who are eliminating our jobs.”

When you think about it, this is not surprising.

If someone is anxious that their work may disappear, and a CEO who has raised billions of dollars says,

“Let’s enjoy change,”

that message will not easily resonate.

It may instead feel deeply irritating.

The Next Divide

Still, I suspect something even more serious may happen from here.

It is not simply a conflict between pro-AI people and anti-AI people.

It will be a divide between people who can use AI well and people who cannot.

Or between people who raise their productivity with AI and people who cannot keep up with that competition.

Naturally, this will overlap with income inequality.

There were similar conversations when the internet spread.

But this time, the speed of change is abnormal.

A job that looked secure yesterday may not remain secure next year.

That is the kind of era we have entered.

And Then Comes Sales AI

Someone avoided AI risk by moving from business analysis to marketing.

That may be the right decision.

But when they graduate several years later, what if AI is already building marketing strategies?

What if AI is writing ad copy?

What if AI is doing market analysis?

What if AI is creating presentation materials?

At that point, they may say,

“Actually, sales is the way to go.”

And then a sales AI will be waiting.