Graduating Students Cheer as Steve Wozniak Tell Them Human Intelligence Still Matters

Wozniak delivered graduation remarks that connected with students entering the job market amid anxiety about AI. He prompted laughter by saying the audience had AI with “actual intelligence.” He compared building AI to replicating the human brain, adding that it takes nine months, using a subtle joke. Other commencement speakers faced strong student backlash when they tried to promote AI or scold students for not embracing it. A businesswoman stopped after students booed and interrupted her attempts to explain AI’s role. A music executive told students to treat AI as a tool and make it work for them, but boos intensified. A former tech executive received jeers after praising AI recognition.

"“We got AI today? You all have AI - actual intelligence,” Wozniak said, prompting the audience to erupt in cheers and laughter. Wozniak went on to compare building AI to replicating the human brain - only this, too, was a subtle dig. “I was at a company where the engineers figured out how to make a brain,” he continued, “Yeah, takes nine months.”"

"The Woz was striking a refreshingly different tone to other commencement speakers across the country, who've been learning the hard way that today's youths don't really like AI, and like being lectured about it even less. When businesswoman Gloria Caulfield tried to extoll the technology last week, the boos from the University of Central Florida students were so overwhelming that she stopped her speech and helplessly remarked, “What happened?”"

"Caulfield tried to segue with, “only a few years ago, AI was not a factor in our lives,” but then she was interrupted again - by vociferous cheers. Unsurprisingly, Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta won few hearts and minds when he scolded students at Middle Tennessee State University for not mindlessly embracing AI. “Deal with it. Like I said, it's a tool,” he proclaimed."

"When the boos grew louder, he taunted: “Then do something about it. It's a tool. Make it work for you.” Probably the most ruthless backlash was faced by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. When he highlighted how Time magazine chose the “architects of AI” as its “Person of the Year,” he was immediately met with a roar of jeers during his commencement address at th"

Read at Futurism