OpenAI Takes on LinkedIn with AI Job Platform, Certification Program to Train Millions

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is planning to step into LinkedIn’s domain. The company has announced the launch of its own job platform next year, one that won’t just list vacancies but will actively connect employers with workers trained in artificial intelligence skills. Alongside this, the AI giant is also rolling out a certification program designed to help millions of Americans prepare for a workplace where AI is becoming increasingly central. 

The announcement was made during a White House task force meeting on AI and education hosted by First Lady Melania Trump. The session drew major tech names, including OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, highlighting just how politically and economically important AI has become. 

Unlike a traditional job board, OpenAI’s platform will let workers showcase their AI skills, verify them through certification, and then be directly matched with businesses or government bodies looking for such expertise. This approach puts the company in direct competition with Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking site.

The certification program itself is being developed in partnership with Walmart, America’s biggest private employer. Walmart confirmed that all 1.6 million of its US employees will get access to this training for free. The retail giant already uses AI to manage scheduling, stock levels, and supply chains and plans to go further in using the technology for customer service. For other companies, however, certification may eventually come at a price. OpenAI says its long-term goal is to certify 10 million Americans by the end of the decade.

This push reflects a bigger conversation around jobs in the AI age. While automation is sparking fears of job losses, OpenAI is betting that upskilling workers will ease the transition and create new opportunities. By embedding certification into hiring, the company is positioning itself not just as a builder of AI tools, but as a gatekeeper of AI-ready talent.

Adding to the buzz, OpenAI is currently hiring for a “Content Strategist” role at its San Francisco office with a jaw-dropping salary package of up to Rs 3.45 crore plus equity. The listing has gone viral on social media, with many pointing out the irony: while the company is building a platform to help others find jobs, it’s also offering Silicon Valley-sized paychecks for its own hires.

With AI reshaping work at every level, from entry jobs to executive positions, OpenAI’s move into jobs and certification signals something bigger: the company doesn’t just want to build AI, it wants to define how people work with it. And in doing so, it’s setting itself up for a direct showdown with LinkedIn.

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