Tim Cook's MIT Commencement Address 2017

Summary

In his commencement address at MIT, Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasizes the importance of finding one's purpose and serving humanity. He shares his journey of self-discovery, which led him to Apple's mission of empowering individuals and changing the world. Cook also discusses the role of technology, its potential for both good and harm, and the need for human values to guide its use. He encourages graduates to infuse their work with humanity, to stand up for what's right, and to measure their impact by the lives they touch.

Takeaways

• 🎓 **Congratulatory Address**: Tim Cook congratulates the MIT class of 2017 and acknowledges the shared values between MIT and Apple, such as a love for hard problems and innovation.
• 🤝 **Shared Values**: Cook emphasizes the alignment between MIT and Apple in their pursuit of challenging problems and the search for groundbreaking ideas.
• 😄 **MIT Pranks**: He humorously references MIT's tradition of pranks, highlighting the creativity and innovation inherent in the MIT community.
• 🚀 **Personal Journey**: Cook shares his personal journey of self-discovery, which took him 15 years to find his purpose, suggesting that the audience might find inspiration in his experience.
• 🌟 **Apple's Purpose**: He discusses Apple's mission to serve humanity, which became his own after joining the company, highlighting the importance of aligning personal values with one's work.
• 🌱 **Humanity's Service**: Cook encourages the graduates to consider how they will serve humanity, suggesting that working towards something greater than oneself brings meaning and purpose.
• 🔧 **Technology's Role**: He acknowledges the power of technology to change the world for the better but also warns of its potential to cause harm if not guided by human values.
• 🌐 **Global Impact**: Cook points out the global impact of technology, mentioning how it can address complex issues like climate change and educational inequality.
• 🤖 **AI and Human Values**: He expresses concern not about AI but about people losing their human values, such as compassion and concern for consequences, in the face of technology.
• 💡 **Human-Centered Innovation**: Cook argues for technology infused with human values, giving examples of how Apple products have positively impacted people's lives.
• 🌱 **Cultivating Empathy**: He advises graduates to maintain their empathy in their careers, resisting the notion that it has no place in professional life.
• 🌳 **Environmental Stewardship**: Cook shares an anecdote about Apple's commitment to environmental causes, even in the face of shareholder skepticism, emphasizing the importance of standing up for what is right.
• 🌟 **Interconnected Destiny**: He concludes by urging the graduates to live at the intersection of technology and humanity, drawing on Dr. Martin Luther King's message of interconnectedness.

Q & A

Who is the speaker addressing in the transcript?

The speaker, Tim Cook, is addressing the MIT community, including the class of 2017, faculty, trustees, and members of the class of 1967.

What does Tim Cook mention about MIT's tradition of pranks or 'hacks'?

Tim Cook refers to MIT's tradition of pranks, humorously mentioning how students have sent a Mars Rover to the Kresge Oval, put a propeller beanie on the Great Dome, and seemingly taken over the president's Twitter account.

What question does Tim Cook suggest graduates ask themselves as they move forward in life?

Tim Cook suggests that graduates should ask themselves, 'What is my purpose?' and 'How will you serve humanity?'

How long did it take Tim Cook to find his life's purpose?

It took Tim Cook nearly 15 years to find his life's purpose.

What significant event in Apple's history does Tim Cook mention?

Tim Cook mentions the 'Think Different' campaign launched by Steve Jobs when he returned to Apple, which was struggling to survive at the time.

What does Tim Cook say about the purpose of Apple?

According to Tim Cook, the purpose of Apple is to serve humanity.

Who did Tim Cook meet that had a profound impact on his views about technology?

Tim Cook had a meeting with Pope Francis, which he describes as the most incredible meeting of his life and had a profound impact on his views about technology.

What concern does Tim Cook express about technology?

Tim Cook expresses concern that technology, while capable of doing great things, doesn't inherently want to do good and that it requires human values and commitment to ensure it is used wisely.

What advice does Tim Cook give to the graduates about their career and values?

Tim Cook advises graduates not to keep their empathy out of their career, to have the courage to stand up for what they believe is right, and to measure their impact on humanity in terms of lives touched and people served, not in likes or popularity.

What does Tim Cook say about the intersection of technology and the humanities?

Tim Cook emphasizes the importance of the intersection between technology and the humanities, stating that it is the combination of technology with the liberal arts and humanities that makes our hearts sing.

What does Tim Cook encourage the graduates to build with their minds, hands, and hearts?

Tim Cook encourages the graduates to build something bigger than themselves, infusing their work with humanity and striving to create, give, and do the best for everyone.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Commencement Address at MIT

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, delivers a commencement speech at MIT, expressing his gratitude to the attendees and sharing the similarities between MIT and Apple, such as their shared love for hard problems and the pursuit of groundbreaking ideas. He humorously acknowledges MIT's history of pranks and then transitions into a personal narrative about his own search for purpose. Cook discusses his journey from high school through various jobs and graduate school, admitting that it took him 15 years to find his true purpose. He shares his experience of joining Apple during a critical period and how Steve Jobs' vision of 'Think Different' and the company's mission to serve humanity resonated with him, providing him with a sense of alignment and purpose.

05:03

🌐 Serving Humanity with Technology

In this paragraph, Tim Cook emphasizes the importance of finding one's purpose and serving humanity. He reflects on his own realization that working for a company without a clear sense of purpose was unfulfilling. He credits Steve Jobs and Apple for providing him with the freedom to dedicate himself to a mission that serves humanity. Cook then encourages the MIT graduates to consider how they will serve humanity, highlighting the potential of technology and science to improve the world. He also warns against the potential negative impacts of technology, such as threats to security, privacy, and the spread of fake news. He shares a conversation with Pope Francis, who expressed concern about the moral use of technology. Cook concludes by urging the graduates to infuse their work with humanity and to guard against a future where people think like computers, devoid of values and compassion.

10:06

🌱 The Intersection of Technology and Humanity

Tim Cook concludes his speech by discussing the importance of keeping humanity at the center of technological innovation. He provides examples of how Apple's products have had a positive impact on people's lives, such as enabling a blind person to run a marathon or helping a child with autism connect with the world. Cook stresses the immense responsibility and opportunity that comes with this approach to technology. He encourages the graduates to maintain their optimism and passion for serving humanity, despite the cynicism that may arise from the internet and other sources. He advises them to focus on what truly matters, to have the courage to stand up for their convictions, and to build something bigger than themselves. Cook ends by quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of living at the intersection of technology and the people it serves.

Keywords

💡Purpose

Purpose refers to the reason for which something exists or is done, often considered the fundamental aim or goal in life. In the video, Tim Cook discusses his personal journey to discover his life's purpose, which he eventually found at Apple. The concept is central to the video's theme, as it encourages the audience to reflect on their own purpose and how they can serve humanity.

💡MIT

MIT, or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a prestigious university known for its focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the script, Tim Cook addresses the graduating class of 2017 at MIT, highlighting the institution's shared values with Apple, such as a love for hard problems and the pursuit of innovative ideas.

💡Technology

Technology encompasses the collection of tools, systems, or methods developed from scientific knowledge to achieve specific goals. The video emphasizes the power of technology to change the world for the better but also warns of its potential to cause harm if not guided by human values. Tim Cook discusses the importance of technology in solving global challenges like cancer, climate change, and educational inequality.

💡Humanity

Humanity refers to the quality of being human, including characteristics such as kindness, compassion, and empathy. In the video, Tim Cook stresses the importance of infusing technology with humanity's values to ensure it serves the greater good. He encourages the audience to serve humanity and to make decisions that reflect their commitment to improving people's lives.

💡Values

Values are principles or standards of behavior that act as guidelines in life. The video script mentions values in the context of how they should influence the development and use of technology. Tim Cook argues that technology is neutral and it's the human values that give it direction, urging the audience to maintain their values in their professional and personal lives.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. In the transcript, Tim Cook challenges the notion that one should leave empathy out of their career, advocating instead for the integration of empathy into all aspects of work and life. He believes that empathy is crucial for creating technology that serves all of humanity.

💡Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the field of computer science that focuses on creating machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. Tim Cook expresses concern not about AI itself, but about people losing their human qualities like values and compassion, which he sees as more critical than the machines' ability to think like humans.

💡Privacy

Privacy refers to the state or condition of limited access to a person's data, personal life, or information. In the video, privacy is mentioned as one of the potential adverse consequences of technology. Tim Cook highlights the importance of protecting privacy and ensuring that technology is used responsibly, without compromising individual security.

💡Innovation

Innovation is the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. The video script discusses innovation in the context of Apple's mission to empower individuals and change the world. Tim Cook refers to Apple's 'Think Different' campaign, which aimed to inspire creativity and innovation.

💡Environmental Responsibility

Environmental responsibility involves making decisions and taking actions that minimize harm to the environment. In the transcript, Tim Cook shares an anecdote about defending Apple's environmental initiatives, emphasizing that such efforts are not just about return on investment but are the right thing to do, reflecting the company's commitment to environmental responsibility.

💡Human-centered Design

Human-centered design is an approach to problems and innovations that focuses on human needs and experiences. The video script mentions how technology infused with human values can have a profound impact, such as enabling a blind person to run a marathon or helping a child with autism connect with the world. This concept is central to the video's message about the importance of designing technology that serves humanity.

Highlights

Tim Cook emphasizes the shared values between MIT and Apple, particularly the love for hard problems and the search for new ideas.

Cook praises MIT's tradition of pranks, or 'hacks', and humorously speculates on some of their more famous stunts.

He discusses the importance of finding one's purpose in life, sharing his personal journey that took him 15 years to discover.

Cook recounts his various attempts to find purpose, including education, career advancements, and spiritual exploration.

He shares the moment of alignment he felt when joining Apple, especially with its mission to serve humanity.

Cook highlights the 'Think Different' campaign by Steve Jobs and its influence on his own commitment to Apple.

He stresses the importance of technology serving a higher purpose and the role of individuals in ensuring it is used wisely.

Cook warns against the potential negative consequences of technology, such as threats to security, privacy, and the spread of fake news.

He expresses concern over people thinking like computers, lacking values and compassion, and calls for a more human approach to technology.

Cook advocates for the integration of technology with the humanities to ensure it enriches human life.

He provides examples of how Apple's products have made a positive impact on people's lives, such as helping the blind, detecting health conditions, and aiding children with autism.

Cook encourages the graduates to focus on what really matters and to measure their impact on humanity in meaningful ways.

He advises against getting caught up in the trivial aspects of life and ignoring negativity on the internet.

Cook shares an anecdote from an Apple shareholders' meeting where he defended the company's environmental initiatives.

He urges the graduates to have the courage to take a stand for what they believe is right, even in the face of opposition.

Cook concludes by expressing optimism in the graduates' ability to serve humanity and create a better world through technology.

Transcripts

[APPLAUSE]

TIM COOK: Hello MIT.

[APPLAUSE]

Thank you.

Congratulations class of '17.

I especially want to thank Chairman Millard, President

Reif, distinguished faculty, trustees, and members

of the class of 1967.

It's a privilege to be with you today,

with your families and your friends on such an amazing,

important day.

MIT and Apple share so much.

We both love hard problems.

We love the search for new ideas.

And we at specially love finding those ideas, the really big

ones, the ones that can change the world.

I know MIT has a proud tradition of pranks,

or as you would call them, hacks.

And you have pulled off some pretty great ones

over the years.

I'll never figure out how MIT students sent that Mars

Rover to the Kresge Oval, or put a propeller beanie on the Great

Dome, or how you've obviously taken over the president's

Twitter account.

[LAUGHTER]

I can tell college students are behind it because most

of the tweets happen at 3 AM.

[LAUGHTER]

I'm really happy to be here.

Today is about celebration.

And you have so much to be proud of.

As you leave here to start the next leg of your journey

in life, there will be days where you will ask yourself,

where is all this going?

What is the purpose?

What is my purpose?

I'll be honest, I asked myself that same question,

and it took me nearly 15 years to answer it.

Maybe by talking about my journey today,

I can save you some time.

The struggle for me started early on.

In high school, I thought I'd discover my life's purpose when

I could answer that age old question, what do you

want to be when you grow up--

nope.

In college I thought I would discover it

when I could answer, what's your major--

not quite.

I thought that maybe I discovered it

when I found a good job.

Then I thought I just needed to get a few promotions.

That didn't work either.

I kept convincing myself that it was just over the horizon,

around the next corner.

Nothing worked.

And it was really tearing me apart.

Part of me kept pushing ahead to the next achievement.

And the other part kept asking, is this all there is?

I went to grad school at Duke looking for the answer.

I tried meditation.

I sought guidance in religion.

I read great philosophers and authors.

And in a moment of youthful indiscretion,

I might even have experimented with a Windows PC.

[LAUGHTER]

And obviously that didn't work.

After countless twists and turns,

at last, 20 years ago, my search brought me to Apple.

At the time the company was struggling to survive.

Steve Jobs had just returned to Apple

and he had launched the "Think Different" campaign.

He wanted to empower the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels,

the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes

to do their best work.

If we could just do that, Steve knew we could really

change the world.

Before that moment, I had never met a leader with such passion

or encountered a company with such

a clear and compelling purpose, to serve humanity.

It was just that simple, serve humanity.

And it was in that moment, after 15 years of searching,

something clicked.

I finally felt aligned, aligned with a company that

brought together challenging cutting edge work with a higher

purpose, aligned with a leader who believed that technology

which didn't exist yet could reinvent tomorrow's world,

aligned with myself and my own deep need

to serve something greater.

Of course at that moment I didn't know all of that.

I was just grateful to have that psychological burden lifted.

But with the help of hindsight, my breakthrough

makes a lot more sense.

I was never going to find my purpose working

someplace without a clear sense of purpose of its own.

Steve and Apple freed me to throw my whole self

into my work, to embrace their mission and make it my own.

How can I serve humanity?

This is life's biggest and most important question.

When you work towards something greater than yourself,

you find meaning.

You find purpose.

So the question I hope you will carry forward from here

is how will you serve humanity?

The good news is since you're here today,

you're already on a great track.

At MIT you've learned how much power science and technology

have to change the world for the better.

Thanks to discoveries made right here, billions of people

are leading healthier and more productive, more

fulfilling lives.

And if we are ever going to solve some of the hardest

problems still facing the world today,

everything from cancer to climate

change to educational inequality,

then technology will help us do it.

But technology alone isn't the solution.

And sometimes it's even part of the problem.

Last year I had a chance to meet with Pope Francis.

It was the most incredible meeting of my life.

This is a man who had spent more time

comforting the afflicted in slums than he

has with heads of state.

This may surprise you, but he knew an unbelievable amount

about technology.

It was obvious to me that he had thought deeply

about it, its opportunities, its risks, its morality.

What he said to me at that meeting,

what he preached really, was on a topic

we care a lot about at Apple.

But he expressed a shared concern in a powerful new way.

Never has humanity had such power over itself,

yet nothing ensures that it will be used wisely he has said.

Technology today is integral to almost all aspects

of our lives.

And most of the time it's a force for good.

And yet the potential adverse consequences

are spreading faster and cutting deeper than ever before.

Threats to our security, threats to our privacy, fake news,

and social media that becomes antisocial.

Sometimes the very technology that is meant to connect us

divides us.

Technology is capable of doing great things,

but it doesn't want to do great things.

It doesn't want anything.

That part takes all of us.

It takes our values and our commitment

to our families and our neighbors

and our communities, our love of beauty and belief

that all of our faiths are interconnected--

our decency, our kindness.

I'm not worried about artificial intelligence

giving computers the ability to think like humans.

I'm more concerned about people thinking like computers,

without values or compassion, without concern

for consequences.

That is what we need you to help us guard against.

Because if science is a search in the darkness,

then the humanities are a candle that shows us where we've been

and the danger that lies ahead.

As Steve once said, "technology alone is not enough.

It is technology married with the liberal arts married

with the humanities that make our hearts sing."

When you keep people at the center of what you do,

it can have an enormous impact.

It means an iPhone that allows a blind person to run a marathon.

It means an Apple Watch catches a heart condition before it

becomes a heart attack.

It means an iPad that helps a child with autism

connect with his or world.

In short, it means technology infused with your values,

making progress possible for everyone.

Whatever you do in your life and whatever we do at Apple,

we must infuse it with the humanity that each of us

is born with.

That responsibility is immense.

But so is the opportunity.

I'm optimistic because I believe in your generation,

your passion, your journey to serve humanity.

We are all counting on you.

There is so much out there conspiring to make you cynical.

The internet has enabled so much and empowered so many.

But it can also be a place where basic rules of decency

are suspended and pettiness and negativity thrive.

Don't let that noise knock you off course.

Don't get caught up in the trivial aspects of life.

Don't listen to trolls.

And for God's sake don't become one.

Measure your impact on humanity not in likes

but in the lives you touch, not in popularity

but in the people you serve.

I felt that my life got bigger when

I stopped caring what other people thought about me.

You will find yours will too.

Stay focused on what really matters.

There will be times when your resolve to serve humanity

will be tested.

Be prepared.

People will try to convince you that you

should keep your empathy out of your career.

Don't accept this false premise.

At a shareholders' meeting a few years back,

someone questioned Apple's investment and focus

on the environment.

He asked me to pledge that Apple would only

invest in green initiatives that could be justified

with a return on investment.

I tried to be diplomatic.

I pointed out that Apple does many things,

like accessibility features for those with disabilities,

that don't rely on an ROI.

We do these things because they're the right thing to do.

And protecting the environment is a critical example.

He wouldn't let it go.

And I got my blood up.

So I told him, if you can't accept our position,

you shouldn't own Apple stock.

When you're convinced that your cause is right,

have the courage to take a stand.

If you see a problem or an injustice,

recognize that no one will fix it but you.

As you go forward today, use your minds and hands

and your hearts to build something bigger

than yourselves.

Always remember, there is no idea bigger than this.

As Dr. Martin Luther King said, all life is interrelated.

We are all bound together into a single garment of destiny.

If you keep that idea at the forefront of all

that you do, if you choose to live

your lives at that intersection between technology

and the people it serves, if you strive to create the best,

give the best, do the best for everyone, not just for some,

then today all of humanity has good cause for hope.

Thank you very much.

And congratulations class of 2017.

[APPLAUSE]