An upstate New York University is going ahead as planned with an AI robot as its commencement speaker, despite thousands of students signing an online petition requesting they pull the plug on the event. Hanson Robotics is the AI company that created what they call “empathetic, living, intelligent machines that enrich our lives,” embodied by Sophia…
Al Samuels is the president and CEO of the Rockland Business Association, and he says he’s approaching the first-of-its-kind commencement speech at D’Youville University in Buffalo with a bit of caution…
An online petition against having Sophia as the school’s commencement speaker has gathered 2,390 signatures, so far. The school has not backed down. In a statement, D’Youville President Lorrie Clemo said higher education is meant to be an “incubator for innovation and to prepare students for both the opportunities and challenges of the future,” calling the event an “intersection of technology and education.” The ceremony is being held May 11th.