While the global workforce remains locked in a debate over whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) will replace human jobs, a 17-year-old has provided a viral counter-narrative. A recent LinkedIn post by Venkatesh Rao, founder of Aikaara, has sparked a massive conversation online after he shared how his friend’s teenage son used curiosity and a bit of AI exploration to bag a $2,000 (approx. ₹1.8 lakh) bug bounty.
The post, which has since gone viral, suggests that the “upcoming generation” is less concerned with the existential threat of AI and more focused on “exploiting” it to achieve tangible results.
The Rs 1.8 lakh ‘Aha!’ moment
According to the post shared by Rao, the teenager recently approached him for Claude tokens (access credits for Anthropic’s advanced AI model). Thinking the student was merely “exploring,” Rao provided the access.
Just a week later, the boy’s father texted Rao with an update: his son had won a $2,000 bug bounty.
Interestingly, Rao noted that the teenager didn’t even end up using those specific tokens for the win, but the intent was clear.
“The upcoming generation isn’t debating whether AI will take away their future job,” Rao wrote. “The upcoming generation is exploring and exploiting AI to get things done,” he concluded.
What is a ‘Bug Bounty’?
A bug bounty is a financial reward offered by tech companies, software developers, or organizations to individuals who find and report security vulnerabilities (bugs) in their systems. Depending on the severity of the bug, rewards can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands.
‘No Salary Slip, Just Curiosity’: Internet Reacts
The post resonated deeply with the tech community, with many highlighting how AI is lowering the “entry point” for high-skill work.
“₹1.8L at 17. No salary slip. No Form 16. Just curiosity and the right tools. That’s the new entry point,” One user commented, Another user, Prathamesh Bakliwal, noted, “That’s the correct use of AI, to secure the internet!”
Building on this news, Rao also briefly mentioned that his firm, Aikaara, is setting up an AI lab specifically for individuals under the age of 20. The initiative aims to provide youngsters with access to high-end model subscriptions and credits to solve real-world problems.