Introducing ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026

Source: OpenAI Blog

Introduction

The class of 2026 is the first generation to start and finish college with ChatGPT.
They arrived on campus in the fall of 2022 just as AI was beginning to reshape how people learn, create, and work. This generation were ChatGPT’s earliest adopters, sharing the tool with parents, siblings, friends, and teachers. Now they’re graduating into a world where technological change accelerates every day.

How Students Are Using AI

Over the past few years I’ve visited campuses, spoken with students and educators, and observed how young people integrate AI into daily life. What I’ve seen challenges many assumptions about this generation:

• Students aren’t using AI to avoid work. They’re using it to attempt things they wouldn’t have thought possible before.
• Building tools for others. Some are creating study tools for classmates, translating mental‑health resources for underserved communities, advancing scientific research, designing accessibility tools for peers with disabilities, and turning side projects into real organizations with impact.

A recurring insight is that they don’t have to wait:

• They don’t have to wait to become experts before getting started.
• They don’t have to wait for funding before building.
• They don’t have to wait for permission before contributing.

Kyle Scenna, a 24‑year‑old ChatGPT Futures honoree and entrepreneur from the University of Waterloo, summed it up: “I never thought the gap between noticing a problem and building something real could get this small.” He’s not alone in feeling this way.

The Inaugural ChatGPT Futures Class

The inaugural class represents over 20 universities and institutions—from Vanderbilt and the University of Toronto to Oxford, Georgia Tech, and many others. Each honoree will receive:

• A $10,000 grant to continue advancing their work.
• Access to OpenAI’s frontier models.

What connects them is not a specific discipline or background but a mindset: they saw new tools emerge, got curious, and decided to build. This may become the defining characteristic of this generation.

Agency, Ambition, and AI

There are understandable questions about what AI might mean for learning, creativity, and jobs. The students I’ve met provide a tangible view of what AI can unlock right now: agency.

• AI doesn’t replace ambition; it amplifies it.
• Historically, building something often depended on access to technical training, institutional support, networks, or funding. Those barriers haven’t disappeared, but they are beginning to shift.

Michelle Lawson, a 20‑year‑old student at Smith College and ChatGPT Futures honoree, shared: “I’ve always believed that you can achieve everything that you can imagine, as long as you’re given the right support and resources. AI has made that happen not only for myself, but for hundreds of thousands of people.”

Today, a curious and determined student can prototype an idea faster, learn new skills independently, and contribute meaningfully in ways that once required far more resources. This does not diminish human judgment, creativity, or hard work; it makes them more essential.

The Role of Education

The students who will thrive in the next chapter won’t simply be the ones who know how AI works. They’ll be the ones who know how to use it thoughtfully:

• Learn continuously.
• Identify meaningful problems.
• Collaborate effectively.
• Create things that matter to other people.

Education must go beyond AI literacy. Schools and universities should create space for students to build and create with AI, guided by teachers. The goal is to nurture adaptable thinkers and builders—people who can navigate ambiguity, pursue ideas with curiosity, and turn learning into action.

OpenAI Resources Supporting Students and Educators

To date, OpenAI has supported this transformation with tools and resources such as:

• ChatGPTEdu – resources for educators.
• 100 chats for Students – a curated set of prompts.
• Study Mode – features designed for learning.
• Partnerships with organizations like the American Federation for Teachers.

ChatGPT Futures is another way we celebrate the young people already shaping the future of AI.

Looking Ahead

The future of AI will not be defined only by the capabilities of the technology itself. It will be defined by the people who choose to use it with curiosity, responsibility, creativity, and purpose.

“The exciting thing is this is just the beginning,” says Nolan Windham, a 23‑year‑old Head of AI at a prominent hedge fund and ChatGPT Futures honoree. “Many young people will recognize their place as teachers for a society looking to learn to use the technology of the future.”

Conclusion

Congratulations to the inaugural ChatGPT Futures Class of 2026. We can’t wait to see the future you’ll build.