OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says that within the next decade, some college graduates could be taking on “completely new, exciting, super well-paid” jobs in space. Speaking to video journalist Cleo Abram, Altman suggested that by 2035, young professionals may leave university to join missions exploring the solar system.
Altman, who leads one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent AI companies, acknowledged that artificial intelligence will replace certain jobs entirely. However, he believes this period could be “the most exciting time in history” to start a career. He added that future graduates may look back on today’s early-career roles as “boring” by comparison.
While space exploration remains limited—NASA’s goal to reach Mars is still targeted for the 2030s—demand for aerospace engineers is already growing faster than the U.S. average, with annual salaries exceeding $130,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Other tech leaders have offered more Earth-bound visions of AI’s impact. Bill Gates has predicted the possibility of a two- or three-day workweek, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said AI is giving workers “superhuman” abilities.
Altman also said AI will make it possible for individuals to launch billion-dollar companies singlehandedly, with GPT-5 and similar tools delivering expertise that once required large teams.
Despite uncertainty about AI’s long-term direction, Altman said he envies young people entering the workforce now: “If I were 22 right now and graduating college, I would feel like the luckiest kid in all of history.”
