BUFFALO, N.Y. — Many students at D'Youville University say they are not happy.
"I think it's odd that the college is promoting AI technology when it's the very thing that's opposed," one student said.
"You guys are just here for the robot, reporting and stuff, but it's like, the students are graduating," another student said.
They don't like the idea that their spring 2024 commencement speech will be delivered by an AI robot "Sophia."
"I graduated high school in 2020. We didn't get a graduation. So to hear that someone who's not even real is speaking at our graduation, it's kind of like like, they couldn't do better," a student said.
Students and faculty even went as far as drawing up petitions, which already have nearly 2,000 signatures. They say Sophia is not a proper reflection of their education and experiences at the school.
Sophia is a social humanoid robot, created by Hanson Robotics. They are a company founded in Dallas, Texas.
"There's this misconception and misclassification that it's just going to be a robot up there," said Student Government Association President, John Rizk.
Rizk is here to clarify it all.
"I'm going to be sitting on stage with the robot and I'm going to be asking 'Sophia' questions. Kind of about the future and the future students step into as they close that chapter of their college careers and graduation. It's not just one robot and me doing the interview. There are going to be several other human speakers there," Rizk said.
Rizk says he feels students have been against the idea before learning the truth for themselves.
"Just give it a chance. Wait and see and I think it will change people's minds when they see the robot," Rizk said.
2 On Your Side received a statement from the University's Vice President of Student Affairs. It's said, "Out of concern for our faculty and students who choose to not participate in a ceremony offering a component of artificial intelligence, we are offering a traditional style ceremony at the same date and time. Taking place in our Kavinoky Theatre."
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