From Stanford stage to YouTube screens: The enduring legacy of Steve Jobs's 2005 address

20 years ago, Steve Jobs delivered the commencement address for Stanford’s graduating class of 2005. From an orator whose life was filled with some of the most memorable keynotes of the modern era — the introductions of the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone! — this deeply personal, sincerely reflective, and incredibly raw speech still stands apart: For providing insight into the man behind the technology in specific, but also helping jumpstart the popularity of commencement addresses on YouTube in general.

To help explore what made Steve’s Stanford address so meaningful to so many for so long, I spoke with Leslie Berlin, founding executive director of the Steve Jobs Archive:

What's the historical significance of Steve's address being shared on YouTube?

We remain deeply moved by the enduring impact of Steve’s Stanford commencement address — a speech that, two decades later, continues to resonate with audiences around the world. It has been viewed more than 120 million times across many platforms, a testament to its relevance. Even LeBron James once drew on its message — playing a clip to inspire the Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of their comeback win in Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

In this talk, Steve didn’t offer a formula for success, but by sharing his own journey, he reminded graduates that the truths that matter are not found by following a path defined by others, but by staying true to what he called “your own inner voice.”

Why does this commencement address still resonate?

Steve’s Stanford commencement address is an unlikely candidate for a classic. Steve never graduated from college. And instead of offering conventional encouragement or career advice, he gave students his personal, clear-eyed reflections on mortality, failure, and the inevitability of being “cleared away” by time. It is interesting to note that one of the world’s foremost tech leaders scarcely mentioned technology.

Steve rarely spoke about his personal life. But here, he understood the moment demanded it. By framing the talk as “just three stories,” he stripped away the tropes of a typical graduation speech. He shared his doubts, mistakes, and revelations. In doing so, he connected with his audience not as a tech visionary, but as a fellow human navigating the same uncertain terrain.

How does this address, and its popularity on YouTube, fit into Steve’s legacy?

Steve’s Stanford commencement address revealed a side of him the world rarely saw. He wasn’t unveiling a product or touting a breakthrough — he was sharing his life. With striking vulnerability, he spoke about being fired from the company he founded, confronting a life-threatening illness, and learning to trust that the false starts and setbacks of his journey would ultimately lead somewhere meaningful — that, in time, “the dots will connect.”

Steve’s legacy is not only in the products he helped create, but in the perspective he offered — a way of seeing the world and understanding one’s place within it. He had a fervent belief that the liberal arts and technology must work together. He saw himself as part of a continuum, a link in a chain that began before him and would continue long after. Speaking from the lectern at Stanford, he was passing the baton — addressing a new generation poised to shape the future.

Thanks Leslie!

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“Stay hungry, stay foolish.” "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward." “Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It's life's change agent."

These are only a very few of the most memorable, thought-provoking quotes from the video. You can experience all of them now in newly enhanced version of the 2005 Stanford Commencement address on the Steve Jobs Archive YouTube Channel