Schools and colleges are working hard to curb using AI tools like ChatGPT for academic work. But despite these efforts, some students continue to find ways to use them. One such case has sparked controversy after a UCLA student openly displayed how he used AI to complete his final project during his graduation ceremony.
In a clip from UCLA’s official graduation livestream, the student is seen on the big screen holding up his laptop and scrolling through what appears to be pages of AI-generated text. His friends and classmates can be heard cheering, but the moment has raised serious concerns.
Online reactions were swift and divided. While some found the moment humorous, many criticised it as a sign of declining academic integrity. Some users even called for the university to revoke his degree, arguing that celebrating graduation without truly earning it sets a dangerous precedent.
The video circulating on X (Formerly Twitter) came with a caption that read, “UCLA graduate celebrates by showing off the ChatGPT he used for his final projects right before officially graduating."
UCLA graduate celebrates by showing off the ChatGPT he used for his final projects right before officially graduating
Reacting to the post, a user wrote, “People can hate, but at least he is honest. You all know 98% of the people in that graduating class did the same thing. The other 2% didn’t graduate."
Another shared, “Shouldn’t he be held back due to educational misconduct? He didn’t do the project himself."
An individual stated, “Don’t blame him, the entire education system is retarded."
Another mentioned, “Don’t act like you all weren’t using Google when you were in school. People have always cheated. He’ll be weeded out eventually."
One more added, “Degrees can be taken away, he knows that right."
The student, Andre Mai, later shared the moment on Instagram and responded to the criticism. He clarified that the final project in question allowed the use of AI tools and that the submission deadline was 5 PM on the same day. According to him, he wasn’t violating any rules, as the use of AI was permitted for that assignment.
