Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivered a powerful commencement address to Carnegie Mellon University's Class of 2026 on a rainy Sunday morning at Gesling Stadium. He urged the graduates to embrace the extraordinary opportunities of the AI revolution, stating, "I cannot imagine a more exciting time to begin your life's work. A new industry is being born. A new era of science and discovery is beginning."
Heartfelt Gesture and Career Parallels
In a heartfelt gesture, Huang asked the graduates to turn to their mothers and wish them a happy Mother's Day. He drew a direct parallel between his own career beginnings at the dawn of the PC revolution and the graduates' entry into the AI era. Every major computing platform shift—PCs, the internet, mobile, and cloud—had led to this shared moment, he emphasized. "But what is about to happen now is bigger than anything before," Huang said. "Because intelligence is foundational to every industry, every industry will change."
AI as America's Opportunity to Build Again
Huang described AI as driving the largest technology infrastructure buildout in human history, calling it a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to reindustrialize America and restore the nation's capacity to build." He stressed that AI's reach extends beyond engineers to electricians, plumbers, ironworkers, and technicians. "This is your time," Huang declared. "AI is not just creating a new computing industry. It is creating a new industrial era."
Responsible Advancement and Tribute to CMU
Acknowledging both promise and risk, Huang urged graduates to advance AI responsibly. "The responsibility of our generation is not only to advance AI but to advance it wisely," he said. He called on scientists, engineers, and policymakers alike to ensure AI's benefits are broadly accessible while safeguarding society. Huang also paid tribute to CMU's pioneering role in AI and robotics, citing milestones from the Logic Theorist in the 1950s to the founding of the Robotics Institute in 1979. He received an Honorary Doctor of Science and Technology from CMU President Farnam Jahanian.
Closing Remarks
Closing his address, Huang invoked the university's motto: "My heart is in the work." He urged graduates to put their heart into building something worthy of their education, potential, and the people who believed in them.
