A former OpenAI intern shares 3 tips for breaking into AI
A former OpenAI intern shares a three-step strategy for entering the AI field: gaining a broad understanding, choosing a niche specialization, and building practical projects. He also emphasizes using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to accelerate the learning process.
Why it matters
As AI becomes a dominant industry, practical advice on skill acquisition is increasingly valuable for students and career changers.
Hamza Mostafa interned at OpenAI in 2025. Courtesy of Hamza Mostafa Hamza Mostafa studied computer science and thought he would become a Big Tech software engineer. But he decided to specialize in AI and got an internship at OpenAI. Mostafa's tips for breaking into AI include finding a niche and building projects to impress interviewers. When Hamza Mostafa started studying computer science at university, he pictured going into traditional software engineering at a Big Tech company after he graduated. As time went on, though, he decided to specialize in AI. In 2024, he landed a three-month internship at OpenAI for the following year. In an interview with Business Insider, Mostafa, 21, who is based in San Francisco and works on his own AI projects, shared his tips for people who want to take advantage of the AI boom and specialize in the field.
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