Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak tells students they already have real AI
Follow UsSteve Wozniak tells graduates they already have the most important AI.
Apple co-founder shifts focus from machines to human creativity and problem-solving.
Speech comes as students raise growing concerns about AI’s impact on jobs and careers.
Artificial intelligence has become one of the most debated topics among students, especially as concerns around jobs and future careers continue to grow. In recent weeks, several graduation ceremonies in the United States have seen technology leaders receive mixed reactions while speaking about AI and its possibilities. But Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak received a very different response. Speaking to graduates at Grand Valley State University, Wozniak shifted the discussion away from software and machines and reminded students to value something they already have. His comments quickly gained attention online and sparked conversations about whether human thinking still matters most in the age of AI.
SurveySteve Wozniak says students already have the most important AI
During Grand Valley State University’s graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026, Steve Wozniak took a different route from the usual conversation around artificial intelligence. Instead of focusing on tools, automation or future technology, Wozniak pointed attention towards the students themselves. Addressing the audience, he said, ‘You all have AI, actual intelligence.’
The line received applause and laughter from graduates, and clips of the moment later spread across social media. His message centred around the idea that human creativity, original thinking and problem-solving remain valuable even as AI tools become more capable.
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Graduation speeches around AI are facing mixed reactions
Wozniak’s comments arrived at a time when discussions around AI at universities have become more sensitive. Recently, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt reportedly faced a cold response while speaking about AI during a graduation event at the University of Arizona. Students have increasingly expressed concerns over how rapidly changing technology could affect jobs and career opportunities.
These reactions reflect a wider debate among young people who are entering the workforce during a period of fast technological change.
Sundar Pichai acknowledges growing concerns around AI
Google CEO Sundar Pichai is also preparing to speak to graduating students while conversations around AI continue to grow. Unlike strongly optimistic views often shared around artificial intelligence, Pichai has publicly acknowledged that concerns about AI are understandable.
Speaking on the Hard Fork podcast, Pichai said people are ‘rightfully’ anxious about the future and described AI as one of the most significant technologies humanity will work on. At the same time, he expressed confidence that today’s graduates will not only experience AI-driven changes but will also help shape what comes next.
Human intelligence remains at the centre of the AI conversation
What set Wozniak’s speech apart was the way in which he shifted focus from fear and competition with machines. From his speech, one gets the impression that even if artificial intelligence advances, human intelligence remains an integral component of technology’s development and application.
In the midst of ongoing discussions of artificial intelligence on campus and in workplaces, it appears that the student response reflects the desire for more information regarding human beings than machines.
