Sam Altman Questions Career Advice Culture At IIT Delhi, Urges Students To Trust Their Own Judgement

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman backs their comment session, which invited a discourse amongst Indian students in his talk at IIT Delhi recently. Addressing a gathering at Dogra Hall, he questioned the age-old notion of seeking parental suggestions in making career choices. He suggested that older generations may struggle to comprehend the ways in which future careers will change in an AI-driven world transforming at an unprecedented pace. For students, his remarks landed as both funny and sobering and were later hotly debated online around themes of tradition, risk-taking and the future of work in India.

Sam Altman on Career Advice and a Fast-Changing World

Sam Altman, addressing students at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, warned against unquestioningly following career advice from parents. Although parents contribute a great deal to values and life lessons, he said, it could be wrong to expect them to accurately map out career paths in an ever-changing, A.I.-driven world. Altman even acknowledged, at the risk of sounding full of himself, that he wouldn’t totally trust his own judgement about how fast change will happen and added that young people tend to be better attuned to sensing new trends.

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The Importance of ‘Agency’ in the AI Era

Altman repeatedly emphasised the concept of "agency", describing it as the belief that individuals can influence outcomes through hard work and passion. He said the world does not always encourage this mindset, but students should actively embrace it. According to him, incentives for individual initiative have never been stronger. With AI tools, a single motivated person can now build products and services that once required entire teams.

Lessons From OpenAI’s Early Days

Reflecting on the beginnings of OpenAI, Altman revealed that the idea behind the company was initially dismissed as unrealistic. He explained that unpopular ideas can sometimes be an advantage due to lower competition. What matters most, he said, is resilience, sticking to a belief with patience and confidence, which he called the one skill every student should focus on building this year.

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Will AI Replace Jobs?

On fears about AI and jobs, Altman struck a balanced note. He conceded some jobs would vanish but said history shows new roles always follow new technology. Many at the school today, he added, may one day work in jobs that have yet to be invented.