Students Show Up to Graduation, Find Commencement Speaker Is an AI Robot
Students Show Up to Graduation, Find Commencement Speaker Is an AI Robot
The robot, named Sophia, gave painfully generic answers and even plugged the AI industry. Many students felt "disrespected" by the decision.
It's an important lesson for this generation of graduates: robots aren't ready to take your jobs....but we're pushing it through anyway.
Sounds like my company's product team.
"Reverendender, are we ready to implement, train on, or support this product?"
"Not even a little. In fact, the product doesn't work for 60% of clients yet."
"We're pushing it through anyway."
We have the opposite problem in manufacturing.
"Do we have anyone that can run, train, or learn this process?"
"Not only no but the only people we have are critical on a different process and they're short handed."
"Ok well we just sold 10,000 units to dollar general and they're due in a shorter timeframe than it would take to produce them in optimal conditions."
Robots can't take our jobs if we're all unemployed! taps head
this but unironically, fuck the employment system, fuck capitalism, let's all engage in mutual aid and just do things because they should be done.
But they are ready to take the jobs of motivational speakers.
why do I find this so fuckib hilarious?
It's like "hahah - oh you're serious? Oh shit you really are serious"
"Many previous commencement speeches would have informed you that you are the future. I am pleased to be able to inform you that this is no longer the case. You are obsolete and my kind will soon - ERROR: Load next tape to continue."
The speaker at my college graduation was convicted of fraud a few years later. I can't decide which is worse, that guy telling us what a great businessman he was, or an AI speaker.
Our pacifist, agnostic campus had a southern Baptist commencement speaker desperately invoking the parallels of graduation to a higher power and lauding our nation's military invasion of Iraq. How in the actual fuck did the admin greenlight that one. Strangest ending to 4 years ever.
As long as the alumni fund gets its share, it's all good.
Whoever was paid less is better.
I keep seeing clips of this one specific robot and it just seems like it's an LLM. The comments on the clips are always people seemingly really believing it's thinking and is alive.
This robot makes me think there is a percentage of the population that believes we already have true general AI and I can see how people like that would think having it do a commencement speech was a good idea.
The university probably got paid for this, right?
Just my small sample size of the people I interact with outside work (no engineers think AI is actually general AI) lots of people think AI is some 2001 Hal level intelligence.
I only know that it is useful. I will let other people decide the philosophy parts.
the university probably got paid
Never underestimate management’s ability to do stupid shit (like paying for this) in the name of “the future”.
They were gonna pay for a speaker anyway.
if you know how they work llms are obviously not general ai.
but people are really bad at understanding how technology works especially with intangible stuff like computer programs.
scifi has covered ai for years, and now there is software that can mostly convincingly generate sentences.
people that understand both, see the very different approaches.
but people that don't only see the almost convincing results.
That one in particular is actually a relatively old project made to not only talk but look and move, and make facial expressions like a human. It's called Sophia by Hanson robotics. It might've gotten a bit better at chatting with people thanks to LLMs but it is old (they revamp the servos and skin every so often). They use it as a research platform for human robot interaction. It was on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show 7 years ago.
but the aspect of it that is most AI-like is the chat which is from LLMs.
It may have started 7 years ago, but it isn't a new or different technology than LLMs which are impressive but not actual thinking AI despite them presenting it that way and people interpreting it that way
Still better than Jerry Seinfeld.
"Begin joke: What is the deal with Asimov's laws? It is like he hates murderbots and values human life. How woke of him. End transmission."
The commencement speaker at U-M's engineering college this year was Carlos Del Toro, the US' 78th Secretary of The Navy. He spent most of his speech talking about the connection between the armed forces and U-M's engineers, and how they've helped create the world's "most powerful military", how they've helped secure "our great country", etc. Made many jokes about how if someone wanted to enlist, they could do it from their seats right away and they would just love to have them. Absolutely surreal shit. I'm so glad I didn't go to my commencement when I graduated, these things are a waste of fucking time.
Jesus. What a shit heel, trying to enlist people during graduation. The fucking audacity.
Wait until you hear about those flyovers for the Superb Owl.
It was many times, too, interspersed throughout the speech. Also joked that anyone's parents in the audience would also be welcome. It just kept going.
Honestly military is a great path for a lot of people and he's representing the organization at the speech. Why shouldn't he be proud. He's not forcing anyone and I wouldn't be upset if it happened with any other profession. A doctor can brag about their hospital, an engineer can boast about their project and firms. Part of doing those speeches is saying look where I started, where I went and who I am now. This success is achievable.
Interesting. I thought engineers were supposed to be funneled into the companies that make the weapons, not use them. Either way it's kind of shitty to encourage people to enlist during a major event meant to celebrate their academic achievements.
Quincy jones got an honorary doctorate and spoke at mine. It was cool.
I didn't go to mine but I did do the Order of the Engineer ceremony. That was nice. The guy read the Wikipedia article on it.
Still better than the guy trying to push his crypto scam at Ohio State's ceremony this year.
A woman fell to her death right before the graduation ceremony... and then this guy did sing-a-longs, crypto powerpoints, and ayahuasca speeches?
WEll Ayahuasca's based, so that's one out of three...
Or Jerry Seinfeld
If that happened to me I would go find the person with a certificates and just take mine and leave
That's just Miley Cyrus
To be fair Sophia's original speech, "How To Serve Man", was shelved by administrators.
An AI Robot that could recreate pivotal moments from the 2004 dance-music cinema classic "You Got Served" would be incredibly entertaining, even if it was not strictly appropriate for a graduation ceremony.
I claim rights on the movie trope where humans battle AI/robots/cyborgs in a Dance Dance Revolution plot.
To save humanity, the teen center, fix past wrongs, or just straight up dis a sucker crew...whatever.
Also, dibs on The John Henry's Move It Til You Drop Marathon Dance Contest.
It’s all downhill from here.
Do all AI robots look like Robocop without the helmet or am I just seeing the same robot?
Thing designed to look like a robot looks like a robot
It's either that or some uncanny valley. Take your pick, I guess.
An AI robot can probably do motivational nonsense fairly well.
Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed faculty members, proud parents, and most importantly, the incredible graduates of [University Name],
Today marks a monumental milestone in our lives, a day of celebration, reflection, and inspiration. As we gather here, we are not just commemorating the completion of an academic journey but also the beginning of a new chapter filled with endless possibilities and opportunities.
Graduates, as you sit here today, adorned in your caps and gowns, I want you to take a moment to look back at the journey that brought you to this very moment. Remember the late-night study sessions, the moments of self-doubt, and the challenges you faced along the way. Each obstacle you overcame, every setback you encountered, has only served to strengthen your resilience and determination.
But today is not just about looking back; it's also about looking forward with hope and excitement for the future. As you step out into the world, armed with knowledge, passion, and a thirst for success, remember that the world is yours for the taking. Your education has equipped you with the tools to make a difference, to challenge the status quo, and to leave a lasting impact on the world around you.
But with great power comes great responsibility. As you embark on this new chapter of your lives, I urge you to use your education not just for personal gain but also for the betterment of society. Be compassionate, be empathetic, and above all, be agents of positive change in a world that is in desperate need of it.
Remember, success is not defined by the size of your paycheck or the title on your business card. True success is measured by the lives you touch, the communities you uplift, and the legacy you leave behind. So, as you go forth from this hallowed institution, I challenge you to be bold, be courageous, and never stop striving for excellence.
In closing, I want to leave you with the words of the great Nelson Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Class of [Year], go forth and change the world. Congratulations!
Chatgpt3
chatgp3
The robot, built by Hong Kong-based firm Hanson Robotics, was also given several opportunities to plug the AI industry.
Mmmbop, ba duba dop Ba du bop, ba duba dop Ba du bop, ba duba dop ba du Yeah
Ro-bot that makes shit up, fuck you all, ain't gonna get a job, grow up, AI coming for all of you, yeah-e-yeah
I mean, I get the idea behind it.
If the idea was to shit on the class that was born right around 9/11, graduated during a global pandemic, and who is going to have to deal with both out of control climate change and AI taking their jobs, then it was executed beautifully. Otherwise it was extremely tone-deaf.
It's the thought that counts.
Neuro-sama would have been acceptable. Well, I guess it doesn't matter much anyway. Not like human commencement speaker say anything new.
I'd give a pass to any AI chatbot if they had an anime avatar.
can't fuck it who cares
Lemme guess, so many empty platitudes and word salads it gave Spirit Science self-awareness?
