OpenAI executive says it is still a good time to major in computer science, but warns students must learn how to use AI

ChatGPT creator OpenAI’s Codex product lead Alexander Embiricos has message for students in this rapidly evolving tech landscape. Embiricos feels that students majoring in computer science will have to learn to use AI tools along the way.

As reported by Business Insider, speaking on recent podcast episode, Embiricos said that students who take up computer science programs that ban the use of AI should be concerned. “The main place where I would be worried, if I was a student right now, is if I was studying CS and my college didn't allow the use of any AI, because then I would just feel like I'm falling behind,” he said.

CS is still valuable, if it evolves

As per the Business Insider report, despite the warning Embiricosbelieves in the value of a computer science degree, citing the growing demand for software engineers.

“I think there's going to be so much more software created and therefore so much more software engineers needed,” he said. “But I also think, figure out how to be using AI constantly while you do it.”His comments come at a tine when universities grapple with how to teach computer science in the era of agentic AI tools such as OpenAI’s GPT-5 Codex. These tools are capable of creating code and also automating development tasks.

What OpenAI looks for in new grads

Along with this, Embiricos also revealed that OpenAI is not hiring many entry-level engineers. He shared that while hiring, the most important trait he looks for in a new graduate is whether they’ve built something. “I don't know if this is advice, but what I can say is that when I look at new grad profiles, for me, the thing that I take the most signal from is if they've built something,” he said.

Rethinking CS education

It appears that educators are already working on rethinking how to teach CS. Carnegie Mellon’s Thomas Cortina told

The New York Times

that AI has “really shaken computer science education,” with students realizing they don’t fully understand code they’ve generated using AI tools.Embiricos also feels that the CS departments should help students become “mentally plastic” in how they approach problem-solving. He advocated for a mix of manual learning to build foundational understanding, alongside outcome-driven projects that integrate AI tools.