Sam Altman’s OpenAI on Thursday announced two new initiatives to benefit the emerging AI workforce – an OpenAI Jobs Board and OpenAI Certifications, with plans to upskill more than 10 million Americans in the next five years.
The ChatGPT-maker announced the “Expanding Economic Opportunity with AI” as part of OpenAI’s commitment to the White House goal of advancing AI literacy.
The effort will “help more people become fluent in AI and connect them with companies that need their skills,” said Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s newly coined CEO of Applications.
The news coincides with a White House dinner of about a dozen tech leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, hosted Thursday evening by US President Donald Trump to talk AI education.
Walmart, one of the nation’s largest employers, will lead a pack of private organizations, job hiring platforms, government offices, and business community groups partnering with the AI start-up to launch the programs into fruition.
The OpenAI Jobs Board is meant to help companies match with AI-savvy candidates, no matter what level, who have the knowledge and skills to help modernize and transform their businesses.
“AI will unlock more opportunities for more people than any technology in history, helping companies operate more efficiently, allowing anyone the power to turn their ideas into income, and create jobs that don’t even exist today,” said Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s newly coined CEO of Applications.
Still, the seasoned tech CEO also said she expects AI to be disruptive.
“Jobs will look different, companies will have to adapt, and all of us—from shift workers to CEOs—will have to learn how to work in new ways,” she wrote in Thursday’s blog post.
Training for 10 million Americans
This is where the OpenAI Certificates come in, helping employers trust that the candidates are fluent in AI and can navigate the influx of AI tools entering the workplace, Simo said.
The certificates will be part of the OpenAI Academy, launched earlier this year to help provide online training and resources for individuals and communities to master AI skills.
OpenAI says over two million Americans have taken advantage of the free Academy since its inception. Overall, OpenAI said it is committed to certifying 10 million Americans by 2030, although it's unclear if more advanced certifications will be offered at no cost.
The Academy will offer certifications for different levels of AI fluency, “from the basics of using AI at work all the way up to AI-custom jobs and prompt engineering,” the blog states.
Furthermore, companies can integrate the certification program into their own learning and development programs.
“If we want to put more power into the hands of more people, not just a fortunate few, we need to help everyone, at every level, take advantage of the opportunities that come with AI. We’ve still got a long way to go, but this is an important step in the right direction,” Simo said.
Last month, Google also announced a $1 billion investment in AI education, pledging to provide free AI training to "every college student in America."
Other organizations involved in the OpenAI effort include John Deere, the Boston Consulting Group, Accenture, Indeed, the Texas Association of Business, the (San Francisco) Bay Area Council, and the Delaware governor’s office.
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