The Tribune

• Science is worthless if it isn’t motivated by basic human values and the desire to help people, Apple CEO Tim Cook told graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday, urging them to use their powers for good.

In a commencement address, Cook — who as Apple’s chief executive since 2011 has overseen the rollout of the iPhone 7 and the Apple Watch — said the company is constantly looking for ways to combine tech with a sense of humanity and compassion.

“Whatever you do in your life, and whatever we do at Apple, we must infuse it with the humanity that we are born with,” said Cook, who previously served as chief operating officer and headed the Macintosh division.

“That responsibility is immense. But so is the opportunity,” he said.

• New York state has hosted its first ever demonstration of a driverless vehicle on public roads.

During Tuesday’s test drive in Albany two engineers rode in the vehicle for about six miles. State officials say the engineers monitored the ride at all times to ensure safety.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo hailed the demonstration as a “major milestone” in the development of a technology that he says is the “next frontier” in transportation.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul also took a test drive in the vehicle. She said driverless cars offer “tremendous potential” for improving traffic safety.

• Alaska has become a testing ground for sustainable technologies that the rest of the world is increasingly interested in using, officials said.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski held a field hearing this past weekend of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in Cordova to talk about the state’s technology, specifically microgrids, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported.

The grids are self-contained, electrical grids that can operate unconnected to any larger transmission system.

Alaska communities off the road system depend on these microgrids to provide power.

Most of the communities are powered by diesel, but an increasing amount of them are trying to cut costs by adding renewables like wind or expanding hydropower.

Murkowski was accompanied at the hearing by Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, the Committee’s ranking Democrat. Cantwell told panelists that when it comes to energy systems of the future, Alaska is “the tip of the spear.”

Murkowski asked the officials gathered what they think the future of Alaska energy looks like.

Cordova Mayor Clay Koplin predicted efficient smart grids, in which appliances can communicate with the larger grid about the best times to run.