AI pioneer Andrew Ng urged new University of Exeter graduates to “build things that matter” as he was honoured for his work to transform machine learning and online education.
Dr. Andrew Ng is the Founder of DeepLearning.AI, Managing General Partner at AI Fund, Executive Chairman of LandingAI, Chairman and Co-Founder of Coursera, and an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University.
Receiving his honorary degree he told students the world needs their “energy, ideas and compassion” and to “never stop learning”. They should “focus on impact” because the most meaningful careers will be built on service and contribution.
He said: “The world is changing very quickly and the tools you are using now five years from now may not even exist today. So what will matter is your ability to keep learning and keep adapting.
“I hope you take risks. Some of the most rewarding things I have been fortunate to be a part of were frankly a little uncertain and a little scary at the time. Many friends advised me not to do it. But they opened doors I couldn’t have predicted. So you don’t have to have it figured out right away. Just keep moving forward in a responsible way.
“Focus on impact, success is not just about personal achievement. It’s about helping others. I hope you think about how your work effects the people around you.”
As a pioneer in machine learning and online education, Dr Ng has changed countless lives through his work in AI. Over 8 million people have taken an AI class from him. He was the founding lead of the Google Brain team, which helped Google transform into a modern AI company. He served as VP & Chief Scientist at Baidu, where he led a 1,300-person AI team responsible for the company’s AI technology and strategy. He was formerly Director of the Stanford AI Lab, home to 20+ faculty members and research groups. In 2023, he was named to the Time100 AI list of the most influential AI persons in the world.
Dr Ng now focuses his time primarily on providing AI training and on his entrepreneurial ventures, looking for the best ways to accelerate responsible AI adoption globally.
He has authored over 200 papers in AI and related fields and holds a B.Sc. from CMU, M.Sc. from MIT, and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley.