Delta CEO Ed Bastian Scraps AI Commencement Speech at 68, Saying It Lacked Soul

2 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 12

Emory University graduates heard a handwritten speech after Delta CEO Ed Bastian said he discarded an AI-generated draft because it lacked “soul,” warmth and his personal voice.
Bastian said he tried AI as a time-saving shortcut, then told the class of 2026 that graduates should hear from him “not some algorithm of me,” drawing applause when he said he took pencil to paper.
The 68-year-old executive used the episode to argue that AI should enhance work rather than replace people, urging students to protect authenticity, character and their “good name” instead of cutting corners.
That message fits a broader debate over AI in white-collar work, even as some companies and CEOs experiment with AI avatars and agents to attend meetings or deliver messages on their behalf.
Bastian, who has led Delta since 2016 and helped build it into a company worth more than $45 billion, told graduates that humility, curiosity and people skills will outlast technical shortcuts.

A top CEO champions human character over AI. Is this timeless wisdom or a nostalgic view in an automated future?

As AI gets 'warmer,' can it ever replicate the human connection that defines genuine leadership and trust?