Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has spoken about how young people can prepare for an AI-centric future. During a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in New Delhi, Altman addressed a question about the biggest mistakes young people make while preparing for an AI-driven world and opened his response with an interesting perspective.
"I think listening to old people is the biggest mistake young people make. For predicting what the world is going to be like going forward, I don't think you should trust me to have good intuition about the rate of change. Young people always figure this out best, and 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 said.
Altman focused on self-confidence and flexibility amid a fast-changing technological environment, which was very well received in his remarks. He noted that traditional career roles, along with long-held beliefs regarding intervention from the state or others, may no longer serve as useful indicators of direction in terms of what people should pursue as careers, given the growing impact of artificial intelligence. He urged students to trust their own judgment and be open to change.
The role of India in the artificial intelligence revolution
Along with his remarks on self-confidence and adaptability, Altman referred to India as an increasingly influential player in the global artificial intelligence market. He complimented developers and entrepreneurs in India for being enthusiastic participants in developing an innovative technology pipeline based on artificial intelligence, and he sees India as a major growth area for OpenAI.
"The enthusiasm amongst builders using AI from an end-to-end perspective in India is inspiring. I was fortunate enough to give a talk today at IIT Delhi, which resulted in great first-hand exposure to how leaders globally and across India appreciate what has been created in India, a market that is currently experiencing the second-fastest growth and will be between the 2nd or 3rd largest. Prime Minister Modi's vision to get there is very clear, and it was great to see his inspiration around his leadership in this way," he said.
In addition, Altman noted how impressed he was with how PM Narendra Modi has framed AI's potential for all people through his emphasis on responsible use and inclusive growth.
"I love the Prime Minister's vision. I think his enthusiasm for what this can be, the need to democratise this technology, which is something very near to our hearts, and his balancing that with making sure that everyone in society benefits and that we mitigate the risks was outstanding," he added.