OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says college graduates in 10 years will work exciting, high-paying jobs exploring the solar system. According to Fortune, Altman believes the coming decade will be the most thrilling time in history to start a career. He envisions 2035 graduates leaving on missions to explore space rather than taking traditional office roles.
Space Jobs and Sky-High Salaries
Altman told video journalist Cleo Abram that future graduates could be working completely new jobs in space. These roles will be super well-paid and super interesting, he said. The tech billionaire even admitted feeling envious of young professionals starting careers today.
Altman predicts future workers will feel bad for current employees stuck doing boring, old work. Aerospace engineers already earn over 130,000 dollars annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The field is growing faster than the national average for all jobs. NASA aims to reach Mars in the 2030s, which could expand space exploration opportunities.
One-Person Billion-Dollar Companies
The OpenAI CEO says it is now possible for one person to start a company worth more than a billion dollars. After launching GPT-5, Altman declared the world has access to technology equivalent to a team of PhD-level experts. Mastering AI tools and coming up with great ideas is all it takes, he explained.
Billionaire Mark Cuban made an even bolder prediction. He told the High Performance podcast that AI could create the world’s first trillionaire. Cuban said it could be just one person working from a basement.
How AI Will Change Work
While Altman admits AI will wipe out some jobs entirely, other tech leaders see positive changes ahead. Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates said AI might dramatically reduce the workweek. He asked on The Tonight Show whether people will work just two or three days per week.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said AI has already given his workers superhuman skills. He said he is surrounded by thousands of people doing what they do better than he can. Yet he never felt unnecessary, Huang told Abram.
Altman said if he were 22 and graduating college right now, he would feel like the luckiest kid in history. The true direction of AI remains unclear, but he believes young professionals face unprecedented opportunities.
