OpenAI to launch jobs platform and AI certification program to challenge LinkedIn

OpenAI isn’t stopping at chatbots and enterprise tools. The company behind ChatGPT is preparing to step directly into the job market, unveiling plans for a new platform that will match workers with employers while offering AI-focused certifications. The move sets OpenAI on a collision course with Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, its biggest partner and, increasingly, its biggest rival.

Fidji Simo, CEO of applications at OpenAI and former Instacart chief, announced the initiative in a blog post on Thursday. She framed the upcoming “OpenAI Jobs Platform” as more than a talent pipeline for big tech. “It will have a track dedicated to helping local businesses compete, and local governments find the AI talent they need to better serve their constituents,” Simo wrote.

The service is expected to launch by mid-2026, according to a company spokesperson. Alongside the hiring platform, OpenAI will expand its education arm through “OpenAI Academy,” which will begin offering certifications in AI fluency. Workers will be able to progress from basic training on how to use AI tools at work to advanced certifications in prompt engineering and custom AI job functions.

Simo said the program will lean on ChatGPT’s Study mode, which turns the chatbot into a teacher that quizzes, hints, and guides rather than simply giving answers. Organizations can weave the certification into their training and development programs, and OpenAI is already working with Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S. The company says it hopes to certify 10 million Americans by 2030.

OpenAI Challenges LinkedIn With New Jobs Platform and AI Skills Academy

The push comes at a moment of deep anxiety over AI’s effect on work. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently pointed to AI as a driver of layoffs, and labor studies continue to flag automation risks across industries. Simo didn’t sidestep the disruption, writing that jobs and companies will look different in the years ahead. Her message: workers and employers need to adapt, and OpenAI wants to be the one training the new workforce.

Research from labor data firm Lightcast shows why that matters. Roles requiring AI skills command higher salaries than those without, giving job seekers a financial incentive to learn. That demand, combined with White House pressure to broaden AI literacy, explains why OpenAI is betting big on workforce development. The company recently launched “OpenAI for Government,” won a Department of Defense contract worth up to $200 million, and is part of Stargate, a $500 billion U.S. initiative to build AI infrastructure.

Why it Matters

OpenAI is stepping into the labor market as both a disruptor and a fixer—building AI that reshapes jobs while creating pathways to retrain workers. The move puts it on a direct collision course with Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, adding fresh tension to one of tech’s most complicated partnerships.

The Jobs Platform and Academy certifications bring that agenda full circle: OpenAI isn’t just building AI applications—it’s trying to shape the market for the people who will use them. With LinkedIn already entrenched in hiring and training, the stage is set for a rare showdown between partners-turned-rivals, Microsoft and OpenAI.