AI integration is increasingly permeating daily life — and now, it’s even affecting graduation ceremonies.
Most recently, an AI-powered system malfunctioned during commencement at Glendale Community College in Arizona, incorrectly announcing some names and skipping others altogether, People reported.
President Tiffany Hernandez told the crowd about the “new AI system” being used to read names aloud during the ceremony, which garnered loud boos from attendees, the outlet said.
Videos of the ceremony showed graduates walking across the stage with incorrect names on the screen behind them, or no names were read at all.
“Here’s what’s happening: We’re using a new AI system as our reader,” she said. “Yup, yup. So that is a lesson learned for us.
“I’m gonna have to disappoint many of you. We will not be able to walk the stage a second time in order to have the [correct] name on the screen … I’m so sorry.”
After backlash, however, the college allowed students who were impacted to walk across the stage again with a human announcer instead, Business Insider reported.
Hernandez sent a formal apology letter to graduates and their families. A student posted it on TikTok.
“It didn’t feel sincere and it kinda felt like they didn’t care,” said Grace Reimer, one of the graduates, according to People. “I would have liked a little more thought to have gone into it rather than pushing something as simple as reading some names off to an AI device.”
Glendale isn’t the only institution using AI to automate graduation ceremonies; other universities and high schools are as well, The Washington Post reported.
Officials at Tassel, one of the largest providers of AI graduation name services, said the platform has doubled the number of high school users since 2023, the Post said.
Also this spring at other graduations, speakers have mentioned AI innovation — inciting boos from the crowd.
At Middle Tennessee State University, graduates booed when record executive Scott Borchetta told them at their May 9 commencement ceremony, “AI is rewriting production as we sit here,” NPR reported.
“Deal with it. Like I said, it’s a tool,” he said to the boos, which continued. “Then do something about it. It’s a tool. Make it work for you.”
