AI Voices Replace Human Announcers at College Graduations, Sparking Mixed Reactions

AI takes over graduation name calls to fix mispronunciations, students react: 'Getting the ick at my own graduation'

Graduation day is traditionally a moment filled with joy, pride, and a personal touch -- especially when students hear their names called out loud, a ceremonial rite of passage marking years of hard work. But at Pace University, a surprising twist changed that experience into something many students described as eerie and impersonal: an AI voice announcing their names. Instead of the warm, human voice that typically calls each graduate to the stage, students at Pace found themselves queuing up to scan barcodes -- much like items at a supermarket checkout -- as an automated AI voice pronounced their names. The university had notified students in advance, even providing a website where they could phonetically spell their names to ensure accurate AI pronunciation. While this effort aimed to avoid embarrassing mispronunciations on a landmark day, many graduates felt disconnected from the moment. According to a tweet on X (@Collin Rugg), one student candidly shared, "Our names are getting read by AI at graduation ... getting the ick at my own graduation." The ritual that usually celebrates individuality felt cold and mechanical to some. Pace University, with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, has long been a pioneer in education since its founding in 1906. Offering a diverse range of programs -- from law to performing arts -- the university is embracing technology in unexpected ways. Using AI to announce graduates' names during commencement ceremonies is part of a broader trend in academia to incorporate automation. Some institutions view AI as a tool to streamline events and ensure flawless pronunciation, especially given the growing diversity of student names. Yet this leap into the digital realm challenges tradition. Graduation is not just about names being read aloud -- it's about the personal recognition of achievement. For many, replacing a human voice with an AI narrator felt alienating, a sign of how technology can sometimes overshadow human connection during life's most meaningful moments. Pace University's AI announcer incident is far from isolated. Across campuses worldwide, educators and institutions grapple with the rapid integration of AI -- from teaching and grading to event management. While AI promises efficiency and precision, students and faculty alike question how it impacts authenticity and emotional resonance. This is echoed in other stories, such as a recent controversy at Northeastern University where AI-generated course materials sparked debate about academic integrity and transparency. These cases underline a shared tension in education: how to balance technological advances without losing sight of the human experience. As universities continue to experiment with AI, moments like Pace University's graduation raise important questions. Can automation coexist with tradition without diminishing the significance of personal milestones? Will AI become a standard feature in ceremonies, or will institutions seek ways to blend technology with genuine human warmth? For now, Pace's graduates will remember their day not just for the diplomas received but for an unusual AI voice echoing their names -- an emblem of the digital age's growing footprint in even the most cherished life events.

College grads shocked as names are read at commencement -- by AI:...

Students at New York City's Pace University were left shell-shocked -- and maybe just a bit shellacked -- when their recent graduation ceremony featured a synthetic surprise: Their names were read aloud not by a proud professor or a human announcer, but by a voice created by artificial intelligence. Instead of the usual pomp and circumstance, it was giving ... self-checkout. A viral video posted by @therundownai on Instagram shows Pace grads queuing up to have QR codes on their phones scanned -- a moment some compared to "fruit and vegetables at a supermarket checkout" -- then hearing their names uttered aloud via disembodied AI over the sound system. "Because nothing says 'we value you' like a synthetic voice butchering your name after four years and thousands of dollars," wrote user @thedeveloperstory on Threads, who also shared the clip. "What a beautiful personal touch!" The university did give students a heads-up, directing them to a website where they could phonetically spell their names and confirm the pronunciation. The goal? Accuracy. The result? A debate hotter than an outdoor, summer cap-and-gown ceremony. Commenters on both Instagram and Threads were divided. One viewer beneath the IG post deadpanned: "Imagine a school that would expel you for using AI to write a paper, but will use AI to read graduate names for them." Another on Threads fumed, "Laziness! Are they really scanning people's phones? What the actual F? That guy couldn't read their names?" One user even lamented the visual awkwardness. "Yeah, that looks super cheesy, since it's scanned right there in plain view of everyone," they wrote. "It's the whole idea that we know how the sausage gets made, but we don't necessarily need to actually see the sausage getting made." Still, others were surprisingly on board. "Same at Northeastern University," noted one commenter. "Students recorded their own name for pronunciation ... an AI voice read their name." "Brilliant!" another gushed. Pace isn't alone in swapping live talent for machine precision, but for many students, the experience felt more "Black Mirror" than commencement celebration. And it's not the first time Gen Z grads have felt overshadowed by AI. As The Post previously reported, nearly half of Gen Z job seekers now believe their degrees are already obsolete, thanks to AI tools like ChatGPT. According to a Harris Poll for Indeed, 49% of Gen Z respondents said their college education has lost value in the job market -- with some now questioning whether it was worth the time and debt. So, to recap: AI is eating their jobs, undercutting their diplomas -- and now it's stealing their spotlight on graduation day. Even the good intentions couldn't save the vibe. As one Thread user wrote, "When I graduated, the person reading out the names had done a run through ... it didn't take that long, and was less weird than showing your phone for them to scan." Perhaps next year's grads can just have ChatGPT write their diploma, too.