University of Central Florida commencement speaker booed over AI praise

ORLANDO, Fla. (CBS, KYMA) - Attendees booed a University of Central Florida commencement speaker over her comments regarding artificial intelligence (AI) Friday.

Gloria Caulfield, who is Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Florida-based real estate firm Tavistock Development Company, received strong reactions from attendees of the College of Arts and Humanities and the Nicholson School of Communication and Media commencement ceremony.

While speaking more broadly about change, Caulfield said, "The rise of artificial intelligence is the next industrial revolution."

The statement incited boos from the crowd and a surprised and bemused, if not awkward, reaction from Caulfield.

She went on to say "only a few years ago, AI was not a factor in our lives," which drew cheers from the apparently anti-AI crowd.