The ChatGPT Commencement Address

Inside Higher Ed, The ChatGPT Commencement Address:

As Wells College graduates gathered last month, President Jonathan Gibralter delivered a commencement address that sounded like countless others delivered across the country. It hit the usual themes: be prepared for challenges and setbacks, cultivate perseverance, and embrace opportunities.

But his speech culminated with a twist.

“Before I end this address, I wanted to let you know that everything I just said to you was written by artificial intelligence. I asked ChatGPT to write a commencement address from the president of Wells College to the graduates,” Gibralter revealed to a surprised audience.

“Why did I do that, and why am I telling you this? Because the world you are graduating into is changing very rapidly, and you have in front of you a world where electric vehicles will replace those powered by fossil fuels, a world where chat bots can replace the need for intellectual curiosity, a world in which some people reflect on their lives by the number of people who are connected to them on social media, a world where people may soon live in the metaverse, and the list goes on and on,” Gibralter told students, challenging them to stay intellectually curious.

In an interview with Inside Higher Ed, Gibralter said he had been reflecting on ChatGPT when he sat down to write his commencement address and became curious about what the program might propose. The speech generated by the artificial intelligence tool was fine over all, Gibralter said, but it lacked “the heartfelt message that I wanted to convey to our graduates.” ...

Gibralter wasn’t the only college president to tap ChatGPT for a commencement speech this season.

Northeastern University president Joseph Aoun asked ChatGPT to provide a list of top five commencement clichés. The program offered “Follow your dreams; you can make a difference in the world; believe in yourself; don’t be afraid to take risks; [and] never give up on your goals.” ,,,

That college leaders are using ChatGPT in commencement speeches even as many in the higher ed world fret about its potential for abuse reflects the mix of promise and uncertainty that surrounds the rapidly evolving technology.