Steve Wozniak delivered the commencement address at Grand Valley State University on May 2, 2026, where he spoke about artificial intelligence and intelligence in general, earning applause from the graduates and attendees [1, 2]. He told the crowd, "You all have AI!" clarifying, "You have AI — actual intelligence," highlighting human intelligence rather than artificial [1, 2]. Wozniak joked that "it takes nine months [to make a brain]," referencing biological intelligence compared to artificial alternatives [1].
Unlike other recent commencement speakers who praised AI but faced boos, Wozniak's remarks were met with laughter and applause. Previous AI-forward speakers such as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Gloria Caulfield were booed at other graduations [1, 2]. Wozniak also urged graduates to "think different" and warned them not to "follow the same steps as a million other people," encouraging originality [2].
The speech stood out for balancing respect for human creativity and caution around AI hype. Wozniak's lighthearted approach appeared to resonate well with the graduates present. No protests or disruptions were reported during his address.
The next major event following Wozniak’s speech will be the upcoming graduation ceremonies at other universities, where AI remains a contentious topic but has sparked ongoing debate about the role of technology in education and careers.
