\u201cI cannot imagine a time more suitable for launching your careers than the present.\u201d<\/p>\n
Source: QbitAI<\/p>\n
Jensen Huang has become \u201cDr.\u201d again.<\/p>\n
At Carnegie Mellon University\u2019s (CMU) most recent commencement ceremony, the CEO was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science and Technology degree and delivered a rain-soaked keynote speech to over 5,800 graduates.<\/p>\n
P.S. This is already his seventh honorary doctorate.<\/p>\n
As the single most pivotal driver behind the global AI wave, he delivered a line destined to go viral: \u201cAI won\u2019t replace you\u2014but people who use AI well will.\u201d<\/p>\n
That statement landed squarely on the foreheads of the young graduates seated before him\u2014because they are entering what may be the most anxious job market in recent years: AI is sweeping through Silicon Valley, major tech firms continue mass layoffs, and U.S. new graduates\u2019 job-hunting difficulty has reached a four-year peak.<\/p>\n
Many young people are confronting, for the first time, a serious question: Will what I\u2019ve learned become obsolete overnight?<\/p>\n
This sentiment was palpable at the ceremony. The event was naturally energetic and celebratory\u2014but beneath the excitement, uncertainty about the future was etched across many faces.<\/p>\n
Faced with this anxiety permeating the entire tech industry, the man standing atop the AI wave offered precisely the opposite assessment:<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot imagine a time more ideal than now to launch your life\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n
That sounds like clich\u00e9d inspiration\u2014yet coming from Jensen, it\u2019s hard not to believe it, because seizing opportunity amid adversity has defined his entire journey.<\/p>\n
He immigrated to the U.S. at age nine speaking no English; his mother woke him at 4 a.m. to deliver newspapers. Later, while working part-time jobs, he earned a master\u2019s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford. At thirty, he co-founded NVIDIA\u2014but its first product flopped, nearly bankrupting the company. In its darkest hour, he flew to Japan to apologize in person to Sega\u2019s CEO\u2014and secured just enough funding to keep NVIDIA alive\u2026 until today, when he leads a trillion-dollar empire.<\/p>\n
So when a person like that tells the Class of 2026, \u201cSo run, don\u2019t walk,\u201d perhaps there\u2019s more than just inspiration behind those words.<\/p>\n
Full transcript of Jensen Huang\u2019s commencement address below.Personal Journey: From Dishwasher to CEO of NVIDIA<\/p>\n
(Opening remarks)<\/p>\n
Honorable President, members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, distinguished guests, proud parents\u2014and, most importantly\u2014the Carnegie Mellon University Class of 2026. It is profoundly meaningful for me to stand here today and accept this extraordinary honor. CMU ranks among the world\u2019s most elite universities\u2014and one of only a few truly capable of forging the future.<\/p>\n
Today is not only the day your dreams come true\u2014it\u2019s also the day your families\u2019, teachers\u2019, mentors\u2019, and friends\u2019 dreams come true. Before we look ahead, please take a moment to thank them. Graduates, please rise\u2014and turn to face your mothers\u2014to wish them a Happy Mother\u2019s Day. Seeing you graduate from this great university is, for them, equally a dream realized.<\/p>\n
Alright\u2014please be seated.<\/p>\n
CMU students really do behave like robots\u2014executing just one instruction at a time. (Laughter)<\/p>\n
My parents are deeply proud of me. My journey is their journey\u2014and I am living proof of their dreams. Like many of you, I am a first-generation immigrant. My father dreamed of building a life in America, so at age nine, he sent my brother and me there. We ended up at a Baptist boarding school in Oneida, Kentucky\u2014a coal-mining town of just a few hundred people. Two years later, my parents exhausted every resource to join us in the U.S.<\/p>\n
My father had been a chemical engineer; my mother worked as a domestic helper at a Catholic school. She woke me at 4 a.m. to deliver newspapers\u2014and my brother helped me land my first job: washing dishes at S Restaurant. Back then, I considered that a major career leap. That was my first impression of America\u2014not necessarily easy, but full of opportunity.<\/p>\n
Later, I attended Oregon State University, where at age 17 I met my wife, Lori. I was the youngest student on campus, while she\u2014age 19\u2014was, by comparison, a \u201csenior\u201d woman. We were lab partners in sophomore physics. Ultimately, I beat out the other 250 guys in our class to win her heart. Today, we\u2019ve been married for 40 years\u2014and both our children now work at NVIDIA.<\/p>\n
At 30, I co-founded NVIDIA with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem. We aimed to build an entirely new kind of computer\u2014one that could solve problems ordinary computers couldn\u2019t. At the time, I thought, \u201cHow hard could it be?\u201d As it turned out\u2014extremely hard.<\/p>\n
Our first technology simply didn\u2019t work\u2014and the company nearly collapsed. I had to fly to Japan to confess to Sega\u2019s CEO that we couldn\u2019t deliver the contracted technology\u2014and beg him to pay us anyway, or NVIDIA would die. That remains one of the most awkward, humiliating, and difficult things I\u2019ve ever done. And yet\u2014Sega\u2019s CEO agreed.<\/p>\n
I learned then that being a CEO isn\u2019t about power\u2014it\u2019s about responsibility: the responsibility to keep your company alive. Humility and honesty often elicit generosity and kindness. With that payment, we pulled ourselves back from the brink\u2014and invented, in extremis, a novel chip-design methodology still used today.<\/p>\n
Over the past 33 years, NVIDIA has continuously reinvented itself. Every time we asked, \u201cHow hard could it be?\u201d the answer was always: \u201cHarder than we imagined.\u201d But these experiences taught us never to see failure as the opposite of success\u2014failure is instead another opportunity to learn, to hone character, and to strengthen resilience.<\/p>\n
Today, I am one of the longest-serving CEOs in the tech industry. NVIDIA\u2014and everything I\u2019ve built alongside our 45,000 exceptional colleagues\u2014is the culmination of my life\u2019s work. Now, it\u2019s your turn. You\u2019re entering the world at the perfect time.<\/p>\n
Resetting Computer Science: The Dawn of the AI Revolution<\/p>\n
My career began at the dawn of the PC revolution\u2014yours begins at the dawn of the AI revolution. I can\u2019t imagine a more exhilarating era.<\/p>\n
In fact, much of AI\u2019s origin traces directly back to CMU. Over the past 24 hours, I\u2019ve heard countless AI jokes. (Laughter) Yet CMU truly stands among the birthplaces of artificial intelligence and robotics. As early as the 1950s, researchers here developed Logic Theorist\u2014the widely recognized first AI program. In 1979, CMU established the Robotics Institute. This morning, I visited Robo Club\u2014the world\u2019s first academic institution dedicated solely to robotics.<\/p>\n
Today, AI has fully emerged from the lab and begun reshaping the entire computing industry. I\u2019ve witnessed nearly every major computing platform shift: mainframes, PCs, the internet, mobile devices, and cloud computing. Each wave built upon the last\u2014and each made technology more accessible and profoundly transformed society. What comes next, however, will dwarf all prior waves in scale\u2014because computing itself is being redefined.<\/p>\n
For the past 60 years, the fundamental computing paradigm remained unchanged: humans write software; computers execute instructions. That era has now ended. AI has shifted the entire computing paradigm\u2014from \u201chuman programming\u201d to \u201cmachine learning\u201d; from CPUs executing software to GPUs running neural networks; from \u201cexecuting commands\u201d to \u201cunderstanding, reasoning, planning, and using tools.\u201d<\/p>\n
A completely new industry is emerging: large-scale intelligent manufacturing\u2014because intelligence itself will become infrastructure for every industry.<\/p>\n
Facing Fear and Opportunity: AI Amplifies Human Capability<\/p>\n
Every industry will change\u2014and many people feel uneasy. They see AI writing code, generating images, driving cars\u2014and begin to wonder: Will jobs disappear? Will humans be replaced? Will technology spiral out of control?<\/p>\n
In truth, every major technological revolution has sparked similar anxieties. Yet history also teaches us that when societies embrace technology openly, responsibly, and optimistically, human capability expands far more than it contracts.<\/p>\n
Of course, we must remain clear-eyed. AI is one of humanity\u2019s most powerful technologies\u2014offering immense promise, yet accompanied by real risks. Thus, our generation\u2019s responsibility extends beyond advancing AI\u2014we must advance it the right way. Scientists and engineers must balance capability with safety; policymakers must craft sensible regulations\u2014protecting society without stifling innovation or exploration.<\/p>\n
History proves that societies paralyzed by fear of technology do not halt progress\u2014they merely forfeit the chance to help shape the future and reap its benefits. So rather than teaching young people to fear the future, we should teach them to build it\u2014with responsibility, optimism, and ambition.<\/p>\n
In the past, only a tiny fraction of people knew how to code. Today, anyone can create using AI. A small-business owner can build their own website; a carpenter can use AI to design kitchen layouts; tasks once requiring professional engineers are now within reach of ordinary people. Code is increasingly generated by AI. In a sense, everyone is becoming a programmer.<\/p>\n
For the first time in human history, computing and intelligence have a genuine chance to become universally accessible\u2014bridging the digital divide. Like the electricity and internet revolutions, AI demands massive infrastructure investment. In the future, the U.S. will construct numerous chip fabs, supercomputer factories, data centers, and advanced manufacturing facilities. This isn\u2019t just a technological revolution\u2014it\u2019s also an opportunity for reindustrialization.<\/p>\n
Electricians, plumbers, steelworkers, construction workers, technicians\u2014their moment is arriving, too. AI isn\u2019t merely creating a new computing industry; it\u2019s launching a new industrial era.<\/p>\n
Of course, AI will transform every job. Some roles will vanish; many tasks will be automated. But \u201ctasks\u201d and \u201cthe meaning of work\u201d are not the same thing. AI can auto-generate code\u2014but software engineers remain vital, because they leverage AI to solve ever-more-complex problems. AI can assist in medical imaging analysis\u2014but radiologists remain essential, because they diagnose disease and care for patients.<\/p>\n
AI won\u2019t replace human purpose\u2014it will amplify human capability. So rather than saying \u201cAI will replace you,\u201d it\u2019s more accurate to say: \u201cPeople who use AI better than you might replace you.\u201d Therefore, the real question we should ask is: Do we want our children empowered by AI\u2014or left behind by those who already master it? The answer is obvious. So let\u2019s develop AI safely\u2014and encourage broader participation in it.<\/p>\n
AI shouldn\u2019t belong only to coders. It belongs to everyone.<\/p>\n
Closing: Run\u2014Don\u2019t Walk; Heart in the Work<\/p>\n
Class of 2026\u2014you stand at the threshold of an extraordinary era. A new epoch of science and discovery is unfolding. AI will accelerate the expansion of human knowledge\u2014and help us solve problems previously deemed unsolvable.<\/p>\n
We have the chance to bridge the digital divide\u2014granting billions of people real access to computing and intelligence for the first time. We have the chance to drive reindustrialization\u2014and rebuild our capacity to \u201cmake things.\u201d And we have the chance to create a future richer, stronger, and more hopeful than the one you inherited.<\/p>\n
No generation has ever possessed more powerful tools\u2014or broader opportunities. And right now, all of us stand on equal footing. This is your moment\u2014to shape what comes next. So run\u2014not walk. (So run, don\u2019t walk)<\/p>\n
Finally, I\u2019d like to close with a phrase from CMU that I love deeply: \u201cMy heart is in the work.\u201d<\/p>\n
So pour your heart into your work\u2014to create things worthy of your education, your potential, and the unwavering belief of those who supported you long before the world recognized your worth.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to you all\u2014and congratulations to the entire CMU Class of 2026.<\/p>\n
One More Thing<\/p>\n
Jensen Huang\u2014who holds only a master\u2019s degree\u2014is now being flooded with honorary doctorates from universities worldwide.<\/p>\n
With CMU\u2019s latest addition, he\u2019s almost got enough to line up a whole row. (doge)<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s context, this isn\u2019t surprising. In the AI era, it\u2019s practically standard practice for universities globally to invite tech CEOs to deliver commencement addresses\u2014and hand them honorary doctoral robes on the spot.<\/p>\n
The logic is straightforward: universities seek to boost influence by associating with industry luminaries\u2014and need figures who symbolize the \u201cfuture\u201d that graduates are about to enter.<\/p>\n
And Jensen stands out as uniquely compelling.<\/p>\n
After all, when someone rises from dishwasher to leader of a $500-billion empire, their words carry extra weight.<\/p>\n
And finally\u2014remember this next time you see him:<\/p>\n
Dr. Huang.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cI cannot imagine a time more suitable for launching your careers than the present.\u201d Source: QbitAI Jensen Huang…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67107,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[892,33389,33387,33385,33386,15592,33390,574,33384,33388],"class_list":{"0":"post-67106","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jensen-huang","8":"tag-blockchain","9":"tag-blockchain-applications","10":"tag-blockchain-in-depth-analysis","11":"tag-blockchain-media","12":"tag-blockchain-news","13":"tag-blockchain-technology","14":"tag-blockchain-trends","15":"tag-jensen-huang","16":"tag-techflow","17":"tag-what-is-blockchain"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@people\/116559316592843644","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67106"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67106\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}