Debating College Students About AI Extinction

College students are so angry about AI that they booed its very mention at 2026 commencement ceremonies. So why aren’t they rallying behind PauseAI? I went back to my alma mater, UC Berkeley, to find out. I spoke with students studying philosophy, economics, and physics, as well as everyday folks visiting campus. My interviewees were aware of AI’s rapidly growing capabilities. When pressed, some would even agree with me on the conceptual benefits of an AI pause. But the sense of urgency was missing. Timestamps 00:00:00 — Cold Open 00:00:31 — Why I Returned to UC Berkeley 00:02:08 — Jack: Chine