Sam Altman says graduates in 2035 could take 'super well-paid' jobs exploring the solar system
He further pointed to his own role at OpenAI as an example of how new kinds of jobs have already emerged, stating that his position would have been unimaginable a decade ago.
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OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has outlined an optimistic vision of the future job market, suggesting that college graduates in 2035 could pursue super well-paid and highly interesting careers exploring the solar system, as artificial intelligence transforms education and work.
Altman made the remarks during an interview with video journalist Cleo Abram on her YouTube series Huge If True, responding to a thought experiment about what higher education and employment could look like in 2035 amid rapid advances in AI. He stated that future students and scholars could embark on exploration-driven careers in space, marking a sharp departure from what he described as the comparatively boring nature of today’s work and education systems.
Abram referenced predictions that artificial intelligence could eliminate up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs within the next five years. In response, Altman said the long-term outlook would be dramatically different, with AI not only reshaping existing roles but also creating entirely new industries and opportunities.
Altman informed that graduates in 2035, if they still attend college, could leave education for missions to explore the solar system on spaceships, working in completely new, exciting and highly paid roles, while looking back on earlier generations as having done less interesting work. He added that overall quality of life and opportunity would improve as a result of these technological shifts.
He further pointed to his own role at OpenAI as an example of how new kinds of jobs have already emerged, stating that his position would have been unimaginable a decade ago. According to Altman, the pace of change is set to accelerate further, making the coming decade significantly more disruptive and different than the present.
Altman said he was particularly enthusiastic about the prospects for young people entering the workforce during this period of transformation. He stated that if he were graduating at the age of 22 today, he would feel exceptionally fortunate, describing it as an unprecedented time to create, invent or start new ventures.
He also highlighted the growing potential for solo entrepreneurs, stating that it is now possible for a one-person company to grow into a billion-dollar business while delivering meaningful products and services to the world.
