Pace University wanted to “streamline” its graduation.
Result: a sea of caps, gowns…and QR codes.
Graduates scanned their phones, and an AI voice dutifully pronounced each name.
No phlegmy misfires, no dad-jokes from the podium—just efficient syllable processing that felt suspiciously like bagging produce at self-checkout.
Reactions were mixed:
- “Cool tech!”
- “Where’s the emotion?”
- “Did I just tip a robot to say my name?”
Our take:
Ceremony used to be about pomp, circumstance, and one brave announcer mangling Italian surnames. Now it’s latency, bandwidth, and latency again. The future’s efficient—but perhaps a touch antiseptic. If you long for a human stumble, try the local DMV: they mispronounce for free.
📎 Watch the roll call get silicon-slick here.
AIpiphanies 
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