News
In Brief
- OpenAI announced a jobs platform connecting employers with AI-skilled candidates.
- The company also now offers AI skills certifications through its Academy and partners.
- New offerings puts the company in competition with LinkedIn.
OpenAI announced two major initiatives out of its applications division today: OpenAI Jobs Platform and OpenAI Certifications. The AI-powered jobs platform is expected in 2026, while the certifications pilot is expected in late 2025. The two mark the first product announcements out of the newly formed applications division, created in May 2025.
OpenAI is also expanding its Academy with certifications for different levels of AI fluency, from basic workplace skills to advanced prompt engineering, with preparation and testing available directly through ChatGPT. The company is partnering with major employers including Walmart and John Deere, professional services firms and government organizations to launch the certification initiative, with the stated intent to certify 10 million Americans by 2030.
Starting next year, Walmart Academy will offer a new, no-cost OpenAI certification to our U.S. associates. This program is part of our continued focus on upskilling and is designed to equip our associates with essential AI skills, supporting their growth and success as technology becomes an even greater part of our daily work.
Walmart
The Jobs Platform will connect employers with AI-skilled candidates at all levels, using AI to match business needs with worker capabilities, according to the announcement post by OpenAI Applications CEO, Fidji Simo. The platform will include a dedicated track for local businesses and governments.
AI Skills at a Premium
AI competency has emerged as a fundamental requirement in today's hiring landscape, with organizations fundamentally reshaping their talent acquisition and development strategies.
Nearly two-thirds of leaders report they wouldn't hire candidates without AI skills, which now encompasses both technical expertise and proficiency with generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. Despite this demand, only a minority of companies are investing in formal AI training programs. Professionals are responding by independently adding AI skills to LinkedIn profiles and enrolling in AI courses at unprecedented rates.
What's Inside OpenAI's Jobs Marketplace and Certifications
Capability | Description
|
|---|---|
OpenAI Jobs Platform | AI-powered matching between employers and AI-skilled candidates. |
Dedicated SMB Track | Specialized support for small businesses seeking AI talent. |
Multi-level Certifications | Verification for skills from basic AI use to advanced prompt engineering. |
In-app Certification | Preparation and testing available directly within ChatGPT. |
Enterprise Integration | Certifications can integrate with company learning programs. |
New Cracks in OpenAI-Microsoft Partnership
The company made the announcement to align with a White House task force meeting on AI and education led by first lady Melania Trump.
It also coincided with the general availability of LinkedIn's AI-powered Hiring Assistant, launched last year. Today's announcements will put the ChatGPT maker in direct competition with Microsoft, LinkedIn's parent company and the AI company's biggest backer.
The multi-billion dollar partnership, which began in 2019 and was strengthened in 2023, now shows clear signs of strain. By early 2025, OpenAI was rapidly scaling and seeking broader market opportunities, while Microsoft worked to reduce its dependency on OpenAI by developing proprietary large language models. It revealed two of those models on Aug. 28.
A divorce would be messy however, due to the complex interdependencies between the two.
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