Wozniak tells – Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak drew laughs and applause at Grand Valley State University’s graduation after telling students, “You have AI — actual intelligence,” during a speech that urged them to think differently as AI reshapes work. The moment contrasted wi
When Steve Wozniak stepped onto the stage at Grand Valley State University’s graduation ceremony, he didn’t just bring a famous name—he brought a line about artificial intelligence that landed with the crowd.
Earlier this month, the Apple cofounder told new graduates, “You have AI — actual intelligence.” The remark sparked laughs and applause from the audience.
Wozniak followed with a deeper thought, saying, “It would take too long to go deeply into what I think about AI, but we’ve been trying to create a brain.” He added, “Is there a way we can duplicate a routine a trillion times and have it work like a brain? AI is one of those attempts.”
His speech. delivered without interruption. then shifted into practical advice as students looked toward the workforce at the height of the AI revolution. “You should always try to think different,” he said. “Don’t follow the same steps as a million other people. Think, is there something I can do a little different?”.
The cheers stood in sharp contrast to what happened at other graduation ceremonies in the weeks that followed. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and real estate executive Gloria Caulfield were both booed after their comments about AI at two separate graduate ceremonies.
AI is now looming over new graduates as they enter the job market, changing the skills candidates need and the way companies assess them. The technology’s ability to automate many tasks has also led some companies to conduct AI-related layoffs.
Between the applause for Wozniak’s message and the boos directed at other commencement speakers. the public mood around AI doesn’t look uniform. Wozniak framed the moment as reassurance—an insistence that human thinking still matters. The louder interruptions in other ceremonies pointed to something more tense: uncertainty about how AI is arriving. and what it means for careers starting right now.
Steve Wozniak Apple cofounder AI revolution commencement speech Grand Valley State University Eric Schmidt Gloria Caulfield job market automation layoffs