Will.i.am wants to future-proof a new generation

Culture Will.i.am wants to future-proof a new generation April 30, 20264:00 PM ET Chloe Veltman Pop star-turned-Arizona State University professor will.i.am teaches "The Agentic Self" at his headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 14, 2026. Emily Choi/FYI.AI hide caption toggle caption Emily Choi/FYI.AI The Black Eyed Peas spoke to a generation in the 2000s with tracks like "I Gotta Feeling," "Let's Get it Started" and "Where is the Love?" Lately, however, co-founder will.i.am has been speaking to a new generation – quite literally – with his three-hour-long, weekly classes for Arizona State University on the theme of "agentic AI." Either beamed in on screens from Arizona State's main campus, or right there with him at the lecture theater he built as part of his business complex in Los Angeles, the roughly 80 students enrolled in will.i.am's class are each trying to build their own AI agent – a software system that can perform tasks autonomously, without requiring a human prompt. Sponsor Message The art of future-proofing As someone who has long projected a tech-forward image – it was will.i.am who came up with the much quoted lyric, "I'm so 3008. You're so 2000 and late" from the Peas' 2009 song "Boom Boom Pow" – the pop star turned philanthropist, entrepreneur and educator is now working to equip young people for an employment marketplace that's being reshaped by technology. The Record Will.I.Am Is The Hit-Making Machine "You are a company, Dave. You're not just like a creative dude," will.i.am said during a recent class, sounding more like a motivational coach than a college professor as he addressed individuals in the tiered seating around him. "You're a company – Claudia – Karen." Students told NPR they get a lot out of will.i.am's approach. "Not everybody that's coming inside this class has a tech background," said undergraduate Ren Flint. "He's been able to break AI down and make it accessible to everyone." "Some people might think what he's talking abou...