Harvard graduates cheered after comedian Ronny Chieng proclaimed “fuck AI” during a pre-commencement event on Wednesday. “AI is just going to end up making mediocre people dumber,” the Daily Show host declared.
“While we’re on the topic of A’s, by the way, can I just say: Fuck AI! Fuck AI! Fuck AI!” Chieng exclaimed during his speech at Harvard College Class Day — an event for the Class of 2026, held the day before the Ivy League university’s commencement ceremony.
Chieng’s chant elicited cheers among Harvard graduates.
“I’m so glad you agree,” the comedian said, before joking: “I prepared a completely different speech in case you guys turned on me, but I won’t be needing that anymore.”
“Fuck AI. Fuck it to death,” Chieng said after tearing up a piece of paper at the podium. “It’s stupid. It’s so stupid. Have you tried using it? It’s always wrong.”
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The actor then launched into a humorous example, saying, “I asked AI, ‘What’s the fastest way to get from New York City to Harvard?’ and it told me to take take FlixBus… I’m a movie star. Hello? I don’t take the bus.”
“I know that someone’s sitting out here right now, who’s just like, ‘Well, you know, what about the use of AI to pioneer breakthroughs in medicine and physics?’ Well, first of all, shut up, nerd! I’m not talking about that,” Chieng quipped.
“Obviously, if you’re using it for that purpose, you’re not the problem,” he added. “I’m talking about the accumulation of cognitive debt due to excessive use of large language models, according to a study by MIT published in 2025.”
“That’s right, MIT,” the Crazy Rich Asians actor taunted. “MIT did that study. I guess you guys were too busy giving each other A’s. Feel free to boo MIT, by the way, and AI, and yourselves, I guess.”
Elsewhere in his speech, Chieng got a little more serious, asserting, “I’m here to tell you the mission of your generation is to destroy AI.”
“Kill it,” the comedian told the Harvard graduates, adding, “AI is just going to end up making mediocre people dumber.”
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“Have you heard how dumb people brag about how they use AI?” Chieng continued. “They’re always like, ‘Hey, did you know that AI can now read my email, summarize it, and draft a response?’”
“Yeah, you know who else can do that? Me,” he added. “I can do that. You can’t do that? How useless are you?”
Chieng went on to say that people using AI are “missing” the point that “the creating is the fun part.”
“The reason shortcuts to skip to the end aren’t always good is because the journey isn’t just how we acquire skills, the journey is the point of all this,” the actor said, before exclaiming, “It is!”
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.