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Ohio State commencement speaker revealed on LinkedIn he took hallucinogen to write speech

Ohio State alum Chris Pan was the commencement speaker for the Spring 2024 graduation ceremony.
Ohio State University
Ohio State alum Chris Pan was the commencement speaker for the Spring 2024 graduation ceremony.

Ohio State University's Spring 2024 commencement speaker revealed on LinkedIn he took a hallucinogen, Ayahuasca, to write his speech.

Chris Pan, a 1999 Ohio State grad, social entrepreneur, investor and musician spoke Sunday before more than 12,500 graduates, in addition to their families and friends.

“Got some help from AI (Ayahuasca Intelligence) this week to write my commencement speech for 60,000 grads and family members at Ohio State University next Sunday,” Pan wrote on LinkedIn. “Tried ChatGPT but wasn’t that good.”

In his speech, Pan gave financial advice about investing in Bitcoin that received some boos.

Pan also tried leading the crowd in two songs. He first sang a rendition of 4 Non Blondes' 1992 hit rock single "What's Up" that later became a famous internet meme with the fictional cartoon superhero He-Man.

Pan later tried to get the crowd to sing along with him for "This Little Light of Mine."

He also performed a magic trick with university president Ted Carter Jr.

George Shillcock is a reporter for 89.7 NPR News. He joined the WOSU newsroom in April 2023 following three years as a reporter in Iowa with the USA Today Network.