Imagine stepping onto the same stage where you once got your first degree, only this time it's to receive an honorary doctorate and share some words of wisdom with a new class of graduates. That was the scene for Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI and a major voice in deep learning, at the University of Toronto. I could almost feel the nerves, and the nostalgia, of that full-circle moment, especially in a place steeped in past breakthroughs and future hopes. In this post, I’ll unpack Sutskever’s standout moments, his cautionary notes on AI, and how education intersects with an unpredictable future.
Full Circle: Gratitude and the Roots of AI Ambition
Standing again in the very hall where I got my bachelor’s degree twenty years ago, I couldn’t help but think about the journey that took me from curious undergrad to honorary doctorate recipient at the University of Toronto. It’s more than a personal milestone. It reflects how education, mentorship, and a thriving research culture can shape a life.
I spent a full decade at U of T, collecting four degrees along the way, this honorary one included. Every phase, from undergrad to grad school to this recognition, helped shape who I am as a scientist. But more than that, the university was a hub of revolutionary AI work. It was here that I got to be part of a community breaking new ground in artificial intelligence.
One of the biggest influences on my path was Geoffrey Hinton. Widely recognized as a deep learning trailblazer, his presence at U of T was, in my words,
"one of my life's great strokes of luck."
His mentorship didn’t just shape my career. It impacted countless others who passed through his lab. Hinton’s legacy is woven into the fabric of modern AI, and his guidance helped build a generation of world-class researchers.
Looking back, I’m deeply grateful, not just for the education, but for the chance to be part of something bigger at a pivotal moment for AI. The University of Toronto’s dedication to innovation, and its tradition of honoring those who’ve made meaningful contributions, says a lot about its values. For me, this honor is a reminder of the shared drive and curiosity that fuel both this institution and the wider AI community.
Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
Years as a Student | 10 |
Degrees Earned | 4 (including honorary) |
Years Since Bachelor’s Degree | 20 |
Radical Change: How AI Reshapes Student Life and Careers
Thinking about where Artificial Intelligence stands today, I find myself agreeing with Sutskever. This really is one of the most unusual times ever. The speed and scale of change are unlike anything we’ve seen, especially when it comes to education and the future of work. As he put it in his speech, “AI will keep getting better... the day will come when AI will do all of the things that we can do. Not just some.” That’s a bold claim, but it’s hard to argue with when you see how fast things are evolving.
AI in Education is already changing what it means to be a student. Today’s tools can understand natural language, write code, and even hold conversations. It’s not just about making things easier. It’s about rethinking how students learn, how they absorb information, and how they get ready for their futures. I hear students asking which skills will still matter when machines can do so much. There’s a real sense of uncertainty about which roles will still need a human touch.
Sutskever’s advice to “accept reality as it is and try not to regret the past” hits home. It’s easy to dwell on what’s changed or what feels unfair, but the truth is, AI challenges are real and growing. While we don’t have exact data on how AI will impact jobs or education by 2025, most experts agree that big changes are coming—and fast.
What’s fascinating is how AI now blurs the line between digital and human intelligence. We’re already chatting with machines that talk back, by voice even, and they’re writing code, analyzing data, and more. Still, as Sutskever reminds us, AI’s not perfect. But it’s advanced enough to raise some deep questions. What happens when digital minds catch up to ours? These are the kinds of questions driving the conversation around the AI impact on education, work, and society as a whole.
Living With Uncertainty: Mindsets for a Future No One Can Predict
What stood out most in Sutskever’s speech at the University of Toronto wasn’t just what he said about AI. It was how grounded and real he was about the messiness of this moment. He didn’t pretend to have all the answers. Instead, he offered a mindset: face what’s real, don’t waste time on regret, and keep moving forward. Or as he put it,
"It's just so much better and more productive to say, okay, things are the way they are. What's the next best step?"
That way of thinking matters a lot, especially when the ground is shifting under our feet. It’s not just about knowing AI is changing things. It’s about learning to emotionally roll with those changes. That’s a much harder skill.
Even for those deep in AI research, that emotional shift is tough. It’s easy to get caught up in past choices or feel stuck in the face of so much change. But Sutskever urges us to focus that energy on what we can do now. That’s not just personal advice. It’s a call to stay engaged with the ethics and impact of AI, even when it feels overwhelming.
AI can already do things we wouldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. Still, there’s a long road ahead. The questions about which skills will stay relevant or how jobs will shift are still wide open. But tuning them out won’t help. As Sutskever sees it, the old saying still applies. You might not care about AI, but AI’s going to care about you.
Research keeps pointing to the same thing: AI is one of humanity’s biggest challenges. It demands that all of us adapt proactively. That means paying attention, staying curious, and asking ourselves what the next best step is.
Wild Card: What If We’re Not Ready? (And Other Tangents)
Every time I think about the state of Artificial Intelligence, one question keeps echoing: what if we’re just not ready? The pace of progress is dizzying, and even those who are neck-deep in it, sometimes obsessively, struggle to truly grasp what’s coming. Sutskever brought up a quote in his speech that lingers with me: “You may not take interest in politics, but politics will take interest in you.” He says the same is true, only more so, for AI.
We don’t get to opt out of this. If we don’t step up to guide how AI evolves, it’ll shape us anyway. The idea that AI could surpass human abilities is no longer some sci-fi trope. It’s a real, looming possibility. And that raises big questions. Who decides how these systems are used? What values do we build into them? These aren’t niche debates. They’re everyone’s responsibility.
Sutskever made it clear: dealing with AI isn’t about wishful thinking. It’s about showing up, paying attention, using the tools ourselves, spotting their strengths and flaws, and getting a gut sense for where all this is going. No article or TED talk can replace the experience of watching this unfold firsthand. And even the experts admit it’s a lot.
“The challenge that AI poses in some sense is the greatest challenge of humanity ever.”
Ready or not, AI’s here. The biggest risk and reward lie in how we respond. Collective action and tech literacy aren’t just nice to have anymore. They’re essential.
