Noteworthy speeches from recent college graduations

Article excerpt

College graduates this spring faced commencement speakers grappling with an uncertain future shaped by AI's rapid advancement, geopolitical turbulence, and labor market upheaval. PBS NewsHour rounded up noteworthy speeches from recent graduation ceremonies, capturing how speakers across institutions addressed the transforming landscape awaiting the Class of 2024. The collection highlights how commencement oratory has shifted from traditional inspiration toward grappling with concrete challenges, job displacement, technological disruption, and global instability, that graduates will navigate. Each speaker brought different perspectives and counsel to students entering a markedly different world than their predecessors faced just years earlier.