An Arizona college president was met with boos from infuriated students after an artificial intelligence bot used to read graduates’ names malfunctioned, which meant dozens were skipped.
Scores of Glendale Community College students missed out on their moment inside the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz., on Friday when they trooped across the stage to receive their diplomas, KYMA reported.
Some students walked across the stage when a different name was shown on screen because the system couldn’t keep up — despite the graduates handing over their name cards to the AI machine before the ceremony.
One name read out by the AI bot was for a student named Michael D. Gonzales, but two women were on stage receiving their diplomas.
Fine art graduate Grace Reimer received her diploma when the incorrect name and degree were listed, the Arizona Republic reported.
“I also didn’t hear a lot of cheering, and I know my family is a pretty loud family,” Reimer said when she knew something was amiss.
The ceremony was broadcast on YouTube as a split screen, but names on the left-hand side of the screen stopped appearing, and the camera eventually panned to an overhead view of the auditorium, indicating something was wrong.
President Tiffany Hernandez tried to explain the reason behind the flub – but it wasn’t warmly received, with jeers ringing around the auditorium.
“So 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.”
She was met with a chorus of boos when she tried to claim that walking the stage and receiving a picture would be the “most meaningful” moment for graduates.
Hernandez initially told students they wouldn’t be able to walk across the stage again – despite the flub – and the boos persisted.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “There’s plenty of opportunities, I hope, to take some really good pictures and to celebrate you with your loved ones as well.”
Hernandez’s apology wasn’t received warmly as Reimer claimed it “didn’t feel sincere and it kinda felt like they didn’t care.”
“The fact that the school stood up there and laughed about it as they were explaining what was going on really hurt, because they did just ruin one of the biggest moments in my life,” Reimer said.
Amid the fury, Hernandez said students who wanted to walk across the stage a second time could have their names read aloud.
Her U-turn received some cheers, but half of the students present left the ceremony, according to Reimer.
Glendale Community College officials repeated their apology.
“While the issue was corrected during the ceremony, we are sorry for the disruption it caused during what should have been a celebratory moment for our graduates and their families,” the college said.
“We have also communicated directly with graduates to apologize for the experience. We are incredibly proud of all our graduates and are taking steps to ensure an issue like this does not occur again.”
AI has proved to be controversial this graduation season.
Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta was booed when he discussed the artificial intelligence revolution during his commencement speech at Middle Tennessee State University’s ceremony on May 10.
Florida real estate Gloria Caulfield, vice president of strategic alliances at Orlando-based Tavistock Development Company, was booed when she also mentioned AI.
She proclaimed that “the rise of artificial intelligence is the next industrial revolution,” which sparked a chorus of boos.