Sam Altman Predicts College Grads of 2035 Could Land ‘Completely New’ Jobs—Even in Space

By Dr. Michael Omoruyi | iNewsAfrica

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has offered a bold glimpse into the future of work, telling audiences that within the next decade, college graduates may be stepping into careers that don’t yet exist—some possibly beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

“In 2035, that graduating college student, if they still go to college at all, could very well be leaving on a mission to explore the solar system on a spaceship, in some completely new, exciting, super well-paid, super interesting job,” Altman said. “They’ll feel bad for us that we had to do this kind of boring, old-fashioned work.”

Altman’s remarks, while speculative, underscore his belief that artificial intelligence and emerging technologies will transform the global job market. His comments come as AI leaders debate the balance between automation’s potential and its risks. While some, like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, warn that up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs could disappear, Altman insists that unprecedented opportunities await those prepared to adapt.

He describes today’s youth as “the luckiest generation to ever enter the workforce,” arguing that AI will empower them to innovate rather than merely fill traditional roles. “Lifelong learning and adaptability will be the currency of the future,” he added.

The vision contrasts with more cautious forecasts, positioning Altman as a techno-optimist betting on human ingenuity to harness AI’s potential—not be replaced by it.

Whether his spaceship analogy proves prophetic or simply symbolic, one message is clear: the careers of tomorrow will look nothing like the jobs of today.