28-Year-Old Billionaire Urges Teens to Master AI Coding for Massive Advantage

In September 2025, 28-year-old billionaire Alexandr Wang, the co-founder of AI company Scale AI, shared valuable advice for teenagers aspiring to pursue careers in technology. Speaking on the "TBPN" podcast, Wang emphasized the importance of embracing advances in artificial intelligence by delving into AI coding, which he described as "radicalizing."

Wang likened the current era to the early days of the tech boom, where pioneers like Bill Gates seized opportunities. He highlighted the vast potential for those who master emerging technologies early, stating that "if you happen to spend 10,000 hours playing with these tools and figuring out how to use them better than others, it becomes a massive advantage."

The company Wang co-founded in 2016 has since achieved unicorn status and is valued at around $29 billion. In June 2025, Wang was also appointed Chief AI Officer at Meta. Looking ahead, he believes AI will be capable of writing code on par with top programmers within the next five years, sparking concerns about the future of programming as a profession. However, Wang sees this as an opportunity for young people, advising that "if you're, say, 13 years old, you should be spending all your time vibe coding. That's how you should be living your life."