Graduates cheered Steve Wozniak’s affirmation of humans over AI. Leaders, pay attention

I was seated onstage at Grand Valley State University’s commencement when Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak leaned into the microphone and reframed the entire conversation about artificial intelligence in six words. “You all have AI — actual intelligence.” The arena erupted. Not polite applause — genuine, full-throated cheering from thousands of graduates who had spent years being told AI was coming for their futures. What Wozniak gave them was something conspicuously missing from most public conversation about AI and work: a direct affirmation that human intelligence isn’t a liability to be managed. It’s the point. That moment didn’t happen in isolation. This spring’s commencement season produced a striking pattern. At the University of Central Florida, a speaker promoting AI was booed so overwhelmingly she stopped mid-speech. A CEO who told Middle Tennessee State University students to “deal with” AI was jeered, then he taunted them — which made it worse. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was interrupted by roars of displeasure at the University of Arizona after invo