Apple CEO Tim Cook Delivers Commencement Address at Gallaudet University

Apple CEO Tim Cook today delivered the commencement address at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., which is the only university in the world where Deaf and hard of hearing students live and learn bilingually in American Sign Language and English.

tim cook gallaudet university
During his speech, Cook told undergraduates that his one piece of advice is to lead with your values throughout life.

"What does it take to build a life that provides meaning and fulfillment?" said Cook. "No one can answer that question for you, and that includes me. There is no iPhone feature that can come to the rescue. AI is good, but it's not that good. Still, I have one important piece of advice I want to share — so important, that it's the only piece of advice I'm going to share today. And that is this: whatever you do, lead with your values."

Cook said that Apple's purpose has always been to create technology that enriches peoples' lives, adding that the company is only able to achieve that goal by having a relentless focus on its values, such as making technology accessible to all, ensuring that privacy is a fundamental human right, and environmental responsibility.

The commencement was streamed live on YouTube:


Cook's commencement address came after Apple TV+ film "CODA" won an Academy Award for Best Picture. The film revolves around a young woman named Ruby, the sole hearing member of a Deaf family. Using sign language, Ruby acts as an interpreter for her parents while working for her family's struggling fishing boat business.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...

Top Rated Comments

aidler Avatar
39 months ago
Thanks I’m good… I rather have a root canal treatment..
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
39 months ago
We are going through a tough time at Apple. Workers who I’m about to fire don’t want to use our gorgeous 5 billion dollar campus; designed by Jony Ive who I could not relate to. Now many Apple store employees are thinking about unionizing and it’s just not right! Graduates here today, please come work for Apple and replace them please!

Thank you class of 2022!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
39 months ago

But will he say Gurrdd morn-neng!
I’m waiting for the, "I Am Thrilled" moment.



Attachment Image
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DerekS Avatar
39 months ago
Nothing can ever top the famous "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" speech from Jobs.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
39 months ago
I think I have better things to do…
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
39 months ago
To his credit, he could decline to do these commencement address speeches - yet he does them. I know that for me, giving a speech is the last thing I’d want to do. I’d quit my job if it required me to give speeches.
So good for him on doing them.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)