On May 6, 2026, OpenAI unveiled its first program to honor young people building real things with AI: ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026. The company picked 26 honorees from the United States and Canada, with each receiving a $10,000 grant (about 1.57 million yen) and access to OpenAI's frontier models※USD 1 = JPY 157. It is the result of the recruitment program OpenAI had run as "ChatGPT 26"[1][2][3].

$10,000 grants for 26 honorees, plus frontier-model access

ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026 was open to current students or recent graduates aged 18 to 25 who were already building things with AI. Applicants could apply individually or in teams of up to three, and third-party nominations were also accepted[2][3]. Each of the 26 selected honorees receives a $10,000 grant along with frontier-model access via ChatGPT Pro and API credits[1][2]※USD 1 = JPY 157.

OpenAI also said it will host the honorees at its San Francisco headquarters in June 2026, with a peer network, ongoing discussions, and optional sessions with OpenAI teams to follow[2][3]. According to the application materials, the program looked for young people who had already shipped a product, started a project, or sparked a movement on their own initiative — without waiting to be asked[3].

Honorees from over 20 universities, with track records of building and research

The 26 honorees come from more than 20 universities and institutions, including Vanderbilt University, the University of Toronto, the University of Oxford, and the Georgia Institute of Technology[1]. The Class of 2026 is the first generation to start and finish college alongside ChatGPT, having entered school in the fall of 2022, and it formed a pool of early adopters who shared the tool with parents, friends, and teachers[1].

OpenAI's announcement quoted several honorees. Kyle Scenna (24), an entrepreneur from the University of Waterloo, said, "I never thought the gap between noticing a problem and building something real could get this small." Michelle Lawson (20), a student at Smith College, added, "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"[1]. Nolan Windham (23), head of AI at a prominent hedge fund, also commented, "The exciting thing is this is just the beginning. Many young people will recognize their place as teachers for a society looking to learn to use the technology of the future"[1].

OpenAI summarized the 26 by saying that what unites them is not a particular field or background, but a mindset: when new tools emerge, they get curious, decide to build, and start shipping[1]. The company suggests this drive may become a defining characteristic of the generation[1].

OpenAI's Belsky: "AI amplifies ambition" — agency must start in classrooms

Leah Belsky, OpenAI's general manager of education and the author of the announcement, wrote that "AI doesn't replace ambition. It amplifies it." She argued that the long-standing barriers to building — access to technical training, institutional support, networks, and funding — are starting to shift in the AI era[1]. At the same time, she acknowledged that there are "understandable questions" about what AI means for learning, creativity, and jobs, and stressed that schools and universities must give students space to build and create with AI under teacher guidance[1].

So far, OpenAI has supported education through ChatGPT Edu for institutions, "100 chats for Students," Study Mode that pushes students to think rather than just receive answers, and partnerships with organizations such as the American Federation of Teachers[1]. ChatGPT Futures sits on top of those efforts as a way to celebrate young people who are already turning AI into something they create with[1]. OpenAI also noted in its selection criteria that it focused on whether applicants used AI not to avoid schoolwork, but to attempt things that previously seemed out of reach[1].

Summary

ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026 is OpenAI's first honors program for the first cohort to graduate alongside ChatGPT, giving 26 young builders a $10,000 grant each and access to frontier models. The goal is to spotlight a generation that has moved beyond using AI to actively building with it, and the June trip to OpenAI's headquarters and follow-on programs will be the next signals to watch.

出典:[1] OpenAI「Introducing ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026」 https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-futures-class-of-2026/

出典:[2] OpenAI「ChatGPT 26: Students shaping the future with AI」 https://chatgpt.com/chatgpt-26/

出典:[3] EdTech Innovation Hub「OpenAI launches ChatGPT 26 student AI program」 https://www.edtechinnovationhub.com/news/openai-launches-search-for-student-ai-talent-with-chatgpt-26-program