Seniors at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) just graduated this week, but one student stole the ceremony when he was shown on the jumbotron holding up his laptop, which had the AI chatbot ChatGPT on it.

He's seen cheering along with the Class of 2025, many of whom in the audience filmed the moment and posted it to social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter / X. The viral video is spreading fast and generating backlash, and some online even want his degree revoked.

Meanwhile, he's been posting about the situation on LinkedIn to provide more context to the clip.

So, who is the "ChatGPT UCLA Graduate?" What are people saying online, and how are his classmates reacting? Let's explain.

What Is The 'ChatGPT UCLA Graduate' Video, And Where Did It Come From?

On Tuesday, June 17th, 2025, a TikToker named @bobbed_bandits shared the first angle of the "ChatGPT UCLA Graduate." He's seen on the Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion jumbotron, holding up his laptop and scrolling between two screens. The latter is ChatGPT.

The TikToker captioned the video, "UCLA graduates 🤝 ChatGPT," but misspelled "ChatGPT" as "chat gbt." They wrote, "It's a necessity," in the video's description.

The second angle of the incident was posted by a TikToker named @andremaimusic. He spliced their video with the ceremony's livestream, which showed a clearer picture of the guy's celebration. "Take this man's degree back 💀," the caption said.

@bobbed_bandits its a necessity #ucla ♬ viva la vida – moiseslyricsss

@andremaimusic FYI it was an open to AI final due at 5pm 😭🙏🏼 #ilovechatgpt #ucla #graduation #gobruins ♬ original sound – Andre Mai

Who Is The 'ChatGPT UCLA Graduate?'

The UCLA graduate who showed ChatGPT on his laptop is named Andre Mei. He's actually the owner of the TikTok account @andremaimusic, which shared the viral video that said, "Take this man's degree back 💀."

Mei also posted about it on his LinkedIn account. "Caught on the Jumbotron… using ChatGPT mid-graduation," he wrote. "Was I experimenting with AI? Maybe a little. Was I cheating? Definitely not."

Mei clarified in his post that he had a final due at 5 p.m. and that the assignment was "open to AI tools." He continued, "For me, ChatGPT isn’t a shortcut — it’s a thinking partner."

Mei just graduated with a data science engineering and music industry minor, according to his LinkedIn. On TikTok, he posts videos of himself DJing raves on campus.

Whatever path he chooses post-graduation, it appears that some on the internet will be watching.

How Are People Reacting To The 'ChatGPT UCLA Graduate' Online?

The video went more viral when it was reposted to X by the user @FearedBuck. Some of the post's most viral quote-tweets expressed contempt for the kid.

"I’m not even joking they should revoke his degree and expel him," said one user.

"Revoke the degree and expel him, same as you would for a student caught plagiarizing, because this is just plagiarism with extra steps," wrote another user.

Redditors in the /r/ChatGPT subreddit also had a lot to say. "Imagine paying thousands of dollars to get a college degree, then interviewing for your first job. The hiring manager then politely rejects your application since you graduated post-2025," one user there envisioned.

How Are UCLA Students Reacting?

The video also sparked a debate in the /r/UCLA subreddit, where current students and alumni both chewed on the topic.

Some Redditors echoed Andre Mei's claim that professors at UCLA sometimes allow students to use AI, depending on the course and the assignment. "The professor let us use ChatGPT on the midterm and final of a grad CS course I took," one person wrote.

"The guy is an idiot either for telling the truth or joking about something that would be hard for him to disprove," another Redditor chimed in.

One of the Redditors in the comments even claimed to be a faculty member: "As a faculty member for almost 20 years. I came on here just to say that. For a Thursday final, commencement is on a Friday/Saturday, final grades due Monday."

Their comment led to a long thread, in which another commenter challenged their position, reminding them that Mei showing the screen didn't equate to him being guilty.

The comments ultimately mirror the discussions happening around the world about how AI fits into schooling. How does a teacher manage the use of AI? Is it a futile effort? These are questions for the next generation of educators.

---

For the full history of ChatGPT UCLA Graduate, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.