Sam Altman says 4 years could be too long for college: ‘The way the world has evolved, college just shouldn’t be as long as it is’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed his belief that college may be too long for many students in today's rapidly evolving world. Speaking at Internapalooza, Altman shared his own experience of dropping out of Stanford after just two years to co-found Loopt. He stated that two years of college were the perfect duration for him and that pursuing a four-year degree may not always be necessary.

In 2005, Altman left Stanford after two years to launch Loopt, an app that allowed users to share their location with friends. Loopt was part of the first Y Combinator batch, which ultimately set the stage for Altman's eventual rise to leading OpenAI. Altman noted that he would have found additional value in a couple more years of college, but emphasized that he was content with how his early academic journey unfolded.

He also shared his thoughts on skipping college altogether, aligning with the views of his mentor and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who supports a fellowship that allows young people to take a break from formal education. Altman provided additional career advice, cautioning that trying to be taken seriously can be a waste of effort, particularly for young entrepreneurs.

He encouraged individuals to focus on creating startups and working independently, rather than aiming for external validation.