又中又英 | Zoomers and doomers | 褚简宁

　　It is an age-old tradition of American colleges to invite a distinguished person to give the keynote speech during a graduation ceremony. Such a speech, formally known as a commencement address, celebrates the achievement of graduating students and inspires them as they move to the next chapter of their lives. But something unusual happened at some commencement addresses for the graduating class of 2026. The graduates booed loudly at speakers who advocated the rapid growth of AI. One commencement speaker at a Florida university was astonished by the loud booing when she told graduates that AI was the next Industrial Revolution.

　　Graduates who booed at speakers supporting AI belong to Generation Z, or Gen Z, an age group of people born between 1997 and 2012. They are informally called Zoomers. The Wall Street Journal described the opposition to AI as an American rebellion which is gaining steam. If something is gaining steam, it means it is increasing in strength, momentum, or popularity. The newspaper quoted one US senator as saying people feel they are under siege by AI. To be under siege means to be surrounded by an armed force. But it can also mean to be under a lot of pressure, such as by AI.

　　Graduating Zoomers fear AI will replace them as they enter the job market. But polls show other people also mistrust AI, fear it will reshape the job market, and that AI will increase energy costs. Many US companies have already cut thousands of jobs, including Meta which owns social media services such as Facebook and WhatsApp. A top OpenAI official described AI opponents as doomers. A doomer is someone with a very pessimistic view of the world.

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　　美国各大院校邀请一位卓越人士在毕业典礼作专题演讲，是个由来已久的传统。正式被称为commencement address 的这些毕业演说，是为庆贺毕业生学有所成，并启发他们迈进人生新一章。然而，在2026年毕业班的某些毕业致词（commencement addresses）期间，却发生了些不平常的事情。当佛罗里达一所大学的一位毕业典礼致词嘉宾跟毕业生说，人工智能是下一场工业革命时，却迎来震耳的嘘声，令她大感惊讶。

　　那些向支持人工智能的讲者发出嘘声的毕业生，属于Generation Z或说Gen Z，是出生于1997至2012年间的Z世代，也俗称Zoomers。《华尔街日报》形容这种对人工智能的抵抗，是种美国式的反叛，现正gaining steam－－若某事is gaining steam，意即它的势头正在增强、蓄势待发，或愈发盛行。报章引述一名美国参议员指，人们感到他们被人工智能所包围（under siege）。To be under siege是指被武装力量重重包围，但它也可以指被围攻而感到巨大的压力，例如受制于人工智能。

　　毕业的Z世代（Zoomers）担忧当他们进入职场时，会被人工智能所取代。然而民调显示，其他人也不信任人工智能，担心它会重塑就业市场，而且人工智能亦会增加能源成本。许多美国公司已经裁减了数以千计的职位，包括拥有脸书和WhatsApp等社交媒体服务的Meta公司。OpenAI一名高级主管，形容人工智能的对手为doomers。A doomer是对世界抱持悲观态度，非常颓丧的人。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻