AI will impact all of humanity, and even those closest to those who’re leading the AI revolution, but they have some ideas on how to prepare.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who alongside his husband Oliver Mulherin welcomed their first child in February 2025, recently shared his thoughts on how he would advise his son to prepare for an AI-dominated future workforce. His response reveals both the pragmatic wisdom of a tech leader and the protective instincts of a new parent navigating uncharted technological territory.
When asked what education he would recommend so his child’s job wouldn’t simply be replaced by AI in 30 years, Altman emphasized adaptability over specialization. “The meta skill of learning how to learn, of learning to adapt, learning to be resilient to a lot of change,” he said, positioning flexibility as the cornerstone of future career security.
The OpenAI chief executive expanded on this theme, highlighting the enduring importance of human connection and value creation. “Learning how to figure out what people want, how to make useful products and services for them, how to interact in the world. I’m so confident that people will still be the center of the story for each other,” Altman explained. “And anything in that world I think will be great.”
His confidence in humanity’s continued relevance stems from what he sees as limitless human drives. “And I’m also so confident that human desire for new stuff, desire to be useful to other people, desire to express our creativity. I think this is all limitless,” he noted, drawing parallels to previous technological disruptions.
Altman contextualized the current AI revolution within historical precedent, referencing the Industrial Revolution‘s similar anxieties. “In all these previous technological revolutions, people wonder, rightly so, what are we all gonna do in the industrial age? These machines came along and we watched them do the things that we used to do and said what would be the role for us? And each new generation uses their creativity and new ideas and all of the tools that previous generation built for them to astonish us. And I’m sure my kids will do the same.”
Altman’s advice reflects broader industry discussions about AI’s workforce impact. While automation concerns mount—with Goldman Sachs estimating AI could affect 300 million jobs globally—tech leaders increasingly emphasize uniquely human capabilities. Meta’s focus on human-AI collaboration, Microsoft’s emphasis on AI augmentation rather than replacement, and Google’s investment in reskilling programs all echo Altman’s philosophy that adaptability and human-centered skills will remain valuable.
His perspective as both an AI pioneer and new father offers a unique lens on the technology’s trajectory. Rather than viewing AI as a threat to be feared, Altman frames it as the latest chapter in humanity’s ongoing story of technological adaptation—one where creativity, empathy, and the ability to serve others will continue to define human value in an increasingly automated world.