ORLANDO, FLORIDA — University of Central Florida graduates booed during a May 8, 2026 commencement address on artificial intelligence delivered by Gloria Caulfield, vice president of strategic alliances at Tavistock Development Company. The ceremony was held at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.

The crowd grew loud enough that Caulfield paused, turned away from the podium and threw her hands up in the air. She asked, "Woop, what happened?" She then told the audience, "OK, I struck a chord. May I finish?"

Caulfield had been speaking about the role of artificial intelligence in the graduates' future. "The rise of artificial intelligence is the next Industrial Revolution," she said. She also told the audience, "Only a few years ago, AI was not a factor in our lives."

As the reaction from the audience continued, Caulfield acknowledged the response. She said, "We've got a bipolar topic here, I see." At another point, she said, "Oh I love it, passion: let's go."

Caulfield then sought to draw a comparison to earlier technological shifts. "OK, I don't want any giggles when I say this. We have been through this before," she said. "I know it sounds amusing, but at that time we had no idea how any of these technologies would impact the world and our lives." She continued, "There were some of the same trepidations and concerns we are now facing, but ultimately it was a gamechanger for global economic development and the proliferation of new businesses." The crowd did not interrupt the rest of her speech.

A majority of recent college graduates view AI as a threat to their job prospects, according to a 2025 poll by the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School.