Scoop: West Chester University used AI at graduation. The school says it had no idea
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Some West Chester University students are outraged that the school hired a company that provides "AI pre-recorded name announcements" for graduation ceremonies.
Why it matters: Universities are under immense pressure to ensure their students' big day goes smoothly. Just last year, Philly's Thomas Jefferson University went viral after a graduation announcer botched multiple students' names.
- Proponents say artificial intelligence can greatly reduce human error. But some say it's those fumbling humans that give the moment its meaning.
Driving the news: Senior Elisa Magello is petitioning the Pennsylvania school to reconsider its decision to use AI-generated commencement announcers.
- Her petition had more than 1,000 signatures, as of Friday afternoon.
What they're saying: Magello wants WCU to return to using human announcers who "will rightfully appreciate" students' accomplishments.
- "Let's add empathy and personalization to technology rather than substituting it entirely," she wrote.
State of play: The school, which enrolls roughly 17,000 students, hired the company Tassel (formerly MarchingOrder) last year to provide pre-recorded name announcements for commencements, Jeffery Osgood Jr., the school's executive vice president and provost, told Axios.
- The administration decided to use the technology at WCU's fall commencement ceremony in December, after fielding complaints about errors at previous ceremonies, Osgood said.
- "You have one opportunity to get this right."
Between the lines: Osgood says the school believed a human was creating the recordings, not AI. The school initially released a statement on its Facebook page claiming that AI had never been used in a WCU commencement ceremony.
- Osgood tells Axios that part of the confusion stems from the company providing WCU with a "list of individuals" to choose from for the readings, including their biographies and voice samples.
- While Tassel's website states it uses "AI pre-recorded name announcements," Osgood says, the school "never contemplated" that.
How it works: CEO Chase Rigby tells Axios the company works with "voice artists" who train "AI models on their actual voices."
Yes, but: AI isn't foolproof. Rigby told Axios the technology produced more than 1,000 names with "84% accuracy (verified by students)" for WCU's fall ceremony. Voice artists recorded the remaining names.
The big picture: This isn't the first time the use of AI at graduation has caused a stir on campus. D'Youville University in New York faced criticism after using an AI robot named Sophia to give its commencement speech last year.
The bottom line: Magello, an exercise science major, tells Axios her goal wasn't to "start a war" with the university but to advocate for students and families, including hers, who want humans to read their names at commencement.
- "What makes the graduation ceremony significant are the little details — the calling of names and recognition of academic achievements," she wrote in her petition.