Former Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech at an AI conference went off the rails when she veered from Doritos delivery to housing policy, leaving tech professionals bewildered and social media users questioning her grasp of artificial intelligence concepts.
Key Takeaways
- Harris delivered a confusing speech at an AI conference in Las Vegas that began with a personal anecdote about ordering Doritos via DoorDash
- The former Vice President attempted to connect her snack delivery experience to broader AI innovation but quickly strayed into unrelated topics including affordable housing
- Her rambling presentation sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many commenters suggesting America “dodged a massive bullet” in the 2024 election
- The incident highlights ongoing communication challenges that plagued Harris throughout her political career
Doritos and DoorDash: An Unusual Opening
Former Vice President Kamala Harris took center stage at the HumanX AI conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, where her speech quickly became notable for all the wrong reasons. Rather than delivering a focused address on artificial intelligence technology, Harris opened with a casual anecdote about her snack preferences before watching the Oscars. The unexpected tangent immediately raised eyebrows among the gathered tech professionals who had anticipated more substantive remarks about AI policy and innovation.
“So we did DoorDash, ’cause I wanted Doritos,” Harris said at the HumanX conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, per the New York Post.
Harris attempted to use this personal story as a launching point to discuss consumer expectations in the age of digital services and artificial intelligence. However, her efforts to draw meaningful connections between her Doritos delivery and the complex field of AI development fell flat as she struggled to maintain a coherent narrative thread. The speech marked her first major appearance addressing the tech sector since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Former VP Kamala Harris spoke at the HumanX conference on artificial intelligence in Las Vegas and made a comment about Doritos. pic.twitter.com/6Cz9jW2O1u
— Storyful (@Storyful) March 12, 2025
From Snacks to Housing Policy
What began as a discussion about consumer convenience quickly took several unexpected turns. After the Doritos reference, Harris pivoted to broader topics without establishing clear connections between them. She touched briefly on consumer rights and expectations regarding technology before abruptly shifting to affordable housing challenges facing Americans. This sudden topic change left many attendees confused about the central message of her address to the AI industry.
The jarring transitions between unrelated subjects undermined any substantive points Harris attempted to make about artificial intelligence. Tech industry attendees had anticipated insights into how Harris views the rapidly evolving AI landscape, particularly given her previous role in an administration that had begun developing AI regulatory frameworks. Instead, they received a disjointed presentation that failed to demonstrate understanding of AI’s technical challenges or policy implications.
Social Media Reaction
The speech quickly generated significant backlash online, with clips of Harris’s Doritos remarks spreading rapidly across social media platforms. Critics seized on the meandering delivery as evidence of communication deficiencies that had plagued her throughout her vice presidency and presidential campaign. Many commenters expressed relief at the 2024 election outcome in light of the confusing presentation.
“Every time you hear Kamala Harris talk, you think it’s not real,” one commenter said. “Yet somehow, it’s real and it is exactly as bad as it actually is. We dodged a massive bullet in 2024.”
Other social media users questioned why conference organizers had selected Harris as a featured speaker at a technical event, given her track record of delivering what critics have termed “word salad” responses to complex questions. The speech reinforced perceptions that had dogged Harris during her time in office regarding her ability to communicate clearly on technical or policy-oriented subjects.
“The Democrat Party can’t be happy that Kamala Harris keeps talking in public,” another commenter observed.
Missed Opportunity
The AI conference represented a chance for Harris to reestablish her credibility on technology issues following her electoral defeat. Artificial intelligence remains one of the most consequential and rapidly developing technological fields, with significant implications for national security, economic competitiveness, and job markets. Instead of delivering a substantive vision for how America should approach these challenges, Harris’s unfocused remarks highlighted the communication difficulties that had contributed to voter concerns during her campaign.
As the tech industry continues grappling with the rapid advancement of AI capabilities, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of clear communication and technical understanding from political figures attempting to influence technology policy. The former Vice President’s performance suggests she may struggle to position herself as a serious voice on technology issues in her post-government career.
