Graduates entering an AI-driven world

North Idaho high school seniors, we say congratulations!

Over the past four years, you have spent hundreds, even thousands of hours reading, writing, listening, studying, taking tests and giving presentations. You tried to understand what this Shakespeare guy meant in "Hamlet," why algebra never seems to add up, and how the English language came to include so many words that mean different things.

Some of you will go to college. Others will take a break from classroom learning and perhaps head out to see the world. Some will stay home, land a job and start a family.

The choices are yours.

It has been said before, but this time it's really true: You are heading into a different world. A world of artificial intelligence. AI. Ever see that movie "The Terminator" where the machines do the thinking, take over and are pretty much invincible? 

Well, AI is now doing a lot of our thinking for us. Don't let it think for you. We're not saying avoid AI. Absolutely, use it. We're saying, don't let it become your brain. Don't let it steal your creativity, your personality, your ability. Don't rely on it.

We say this because AI is shaping the way we work, learn, create, and communicate. From healthcare to entertainment, from engineering to art, AI is transforming industries at a pace few could have imagined a decade ago. 

Fortunately, you are prepared for this moment. You grew up in an era defined by technology. You are already comfortable with change, quick to adapt, and ready to learn. AI is not as foreign to you as it is to some of us in the older generation. They say AI will take jobs. It has, and it will. But for those who know how to use AI and see its potential, it can and will be a good thing. It will create jobs, too.

A final few words of unwanted advice.

Resist the urge to settle. A motivational speaker said something like this: If you do what is easy, life will be hard. But if you do what is hard, life will be easy. The world does not need more people who are comfortable; it needs more people who are courageous. Don't sell yourself short. Go after what matters to you, what stirs your heart.

Failure? Sure, if you try at anything, it will happen. If you never fail, well, you likely didn't challenge yourself. Michael Jordan, perhaps the greatest player ever in the NBA, said this: "I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." 

So always try.

Every disappointment builds strength, unless you walk away, give up and remain disappointed. The difference between those who succeed and those who fall short is the willingness to keep going in tough times. Persistence will find a way.

Finally, don't forget to help others. Serve those less fortunate than you. A heart to sacrifice time for the betterment of those around you will change this world for the better. There is no better example of that than in North Idaho. It's filled with such people. You grew up in a good place. Remember your roots.

When they say the future belongs to you, they are right. It does. And you will find the future holds exactly what you put into it.