OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has delivered a blunt take on the “biggest mistake” that young people make. In a packed hall at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Altman said that the ‘traditional’ Indian way for a successful career may not help young people survive in the AI era. Altman didn’t mince words when addressing the generational gap in career planning. “I think listening to old people is the biggest mistake young people make,” Altman told the crowd, in response to the question: “what is the biggest mistake you see young people make right now when they apparently prepare for AI?” “I think your your parents obviously love you more than anyone. They’re extremely well-meaning for advice about how to live a happy life or how to be a a good person, there is no one you should listen to more than your parents,” he noted.“The traditional career advice is probably not going to work as well. You will have to quickly develop your own intuitions and trust them,” he added.
Sam Altman says: ‘Don’t trust me’
He even extended this warning to himself, adding: “For a predictor of what the world is going to be like going forward, I don’t think you should trust me for having good intuition of the rate of change. Young people always figure this out the best.”“The world you are all inheriting is going to be very different and you’ll have to quickly develop your own intuitions and trust them. But I think the traditional career advice is probably not going to work as well,” he added.
Sams Altman on AI replacing humans
Altman also addressed concerns about AI replacing human workers, cautioning against extreme reactions. While acknowledging that “some jobs will totally go away,” he added that new roles usually appear.
“Anyone who says they’re only excited or only fearful about AI is not being very thoughtful. Many of you will eventually do jobs that don’t exist today, even really as a concept,” he said. He encouraged risk-taking, especially in a culture where stability is often preferred. “Most people, especially in India, are especially averse to risk. My willingness to fail allows me to succeed,” he said.
