Two high-profile voices in tech and culture sent contrasting signals about higher education: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he’s “envious” of Gen Z college dropouts who have time to build startups, while author Malcolm Gladwell advised many STEM students to avoid elite institutions like Harvard if they risk ending up in the bottom half of their class. Their comments feed ongoing debates over the return on investment of elite college admission, dropout entrepreneurship, and how colleges should align curriculum and career support with a labor market shaped by rapid AI-driven change.