University of New Hampshire Will Use AI to Announce Graduates' Names at Commencement
The University of New Hampshire will have artificial intelligence read graduates' names aloud during spring commencement ceremonies in mid-May. The decision has split opinion among students and alumni.
Maddie Wilson, a first-generation marine biology student, posted on Facebook that graduates "deserve better" than a computer announcing their names. She criticized the university for discouraging students from using AI on assignments while administrators use it for the most important moment of an undergraduate career.
The post drew more than 100 comments. Some defended the choice. Haley Vigneault, who received her master's degree from UNH last year, said the AI reader pronounced her name correctly - something that didn't always happen with human announcers.
UNH spokesperson Tania deLuzuriaga said the university had relied on humans to announce names for years. A handful of graduates each year left disappointed by mispronunciations. AI removes that source of error.
"We think the benefits outweigh any drawbacks," deLuzuriaga said. "This process aims to take the potential for human error out of this momentous occasion for our students."
This is UNH's second year using the system, which comes from a company called Tassel. Students can spell their names phonetically and hear the AI output before commencement. If they're unsatisfied, they can record themselves saying their name, and a human reader will insert that recording into the program.
Tassel, formerly known as MarchingOrder, shifted from manually recording names to AI-generated announcements last spring. The company said it compensated voice professionals to license their voices for the AI system.
"These aren't basic AI voices like Siri or Alexa - they're broadcast-quality and virtually indistinguishable from manual recordings," said Staci Matt-Beal, a Tassel spokesperson.
Tassel announced 1.3 million graduate names last year. The company expects to announce between 1.6 million and 1.8 million names this year.
What This Means for Educators
The UNH decision illustrates a broader tension in education: institutions adopting AI tools while maintaining academic integrity policies against student use. Schools considering similar systems should prepare for questions about consistency and values.
Educators may also want to understand Text-To-Speech AI tools and how they work, particularly as these systems become more common in institutional settings. For those working in higher education, AI for Education resources can provide context on emerging applications and implementation strategies.
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