Overview
- Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, told graduates at Middle Tennessee State University that “AI is rewriting production,” drew audible boos and replied “you can hear me now or pay me later” while urging students to use AI as a tool.
- Latest coverage reports Borchetta laughed off the negative reaction, publicly defended his remarks and framed the change from streaming and social media to AI as another industry shift creators must adapt to.
- During the address Borchetta shifted to his career history, named recent signees like Riley Green and reminded the crowd that the MTSU college carries his name, linking the speech to his long industry role.
- Reporters compared the episode to a separate May commencement at the University of Central Florida where a speaker was also booed for calling AI the next Industrial Revolution, highlighting a broader pattern of student pushback.
- The exchanges expose a generational split over AI: industry leaders push adaptation while many graduates voice skepticism about the technology’s effect on work and creative control, a divide that may prompt more campus pushback and debate over who speaks at ceremonies.