Want to build career in AI? Former OpenAI intern shares 3 tips for easy opportunity
Follow UsFormer OpenAI intern has shared three tips for beginners looking to break into AI.
Mostafa explained that the first step is to understand AI as a whole before choosing one area to focus on.
After that, he recommends picking a specialisation. For him, that area was AI agents.
Many students dream of getting a job in AI, but they are probably confused about where to begin. Hamza Mostafa, a former OpenAI intern, has shared three simple tips that helped him build his career in the field. Mostafa, 21, planned to become a software engineer after studying computer science. But, as time went on, he decided to specialise in AI. In 2024, he secured a three-month internship at OpenAI for the following year. In an interview with Business Insider, Mostafa shared three tips for beginners looking to break into AI.
SurveyMostafa explained that the first step is to understand AI as a whole before choosing one area to focus on. AI covers many topics, so having a broad understanding is important. After that, he recommends picking a specialisation. For him, that area was AI agents.
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Once you choose your focus, start building projects. Mostafa believes practical work is the best way to improve your skills. “The best way I learn is by doing and by building,” Mostafa said.
He also explained that personal projects can help during job interviews. They give you something real to talk about and show employers that you have explored the subject in depth. According to him, people who first understand the basics, then specialise, and finally build projects are more likely to get hired. People who can show they “understand things at a very deep level” and follow the three-step formula of gaining a broad understanding, followed by picking a specialisation, and building projects, are “highly employable,” Mostafa said.
Mostafa also encouraged students to use AI tools to learn AI. He said he regularly uses ChatGPT and Claude to understand difficult concepts better. “I still do this every day. I’ll go on Claude or ChatGPT and have it explain these concepts to me to make sure I really understand to the deepest level, but also to a level where I can explain it to my mother, for example, who doesn’t really understand AI,” he said. He also watched YouTube videos when he first started learning about topics like natural language processing and large language models.
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Mostafa also advises students not to worry too much about the job market or compare themselves with others online. Instead, focus on improving your skills, building your resume and networking.
