Two of tech’s biggest names want students to focus on physics instead of computer programming. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla CEO Elon Musk say physics will be more important than coding in the AI age.
Huang made his comments during a recent event in Beijing. When asked what he would study if he were 22 years old today, he said “physical sciences” instead of computer science. This surprised many people since Huang built Nvidia into the world’s most valuable chip company.
Huang believes future AI systems need physics knowledge to work in the real world. He calls this “Physical AI.” These systems must understand concepts like friction, inertia, and cause and effect to operate robots and interact with physical objects.
“The next wave requires us to understand friction, inertia, and cause and effect,” Huang explained. He thinks AI moving beyond computer screens into real environments will need physics expertise more than coding skills.
Musk has long supported this view. When Telegram CEO Pavel Durov told students to master mathematics, Musk added “Physics (with math)” to the advice. Musk often talks about using “first principles” – basic truths from physics – to solve complex problems.
Both leaders work on projects that depend heavily on physics. Musk builds rockets and self-driving cars. Huang develops chips for AI systems that will control robots and autonomous vehicles.
Their advice reflects a bigger change in tech thinking. While coding remains important, these leaders want students to understand how the physical world works. They believe future innovations will combine AI software with real-world physics knowledge.
The shift suggests that tomorrow’s tech breakthroughs may come from people who understand both computers and physical science, not just programming alone.
