OpenAI has announced it is developing an AI-centered jobs platform as part of broader efforts to expand AI literacy, and as the company grows its consumer and business-facing AI applications.

The ChatGPT maker’s “OpenAI Jobs Platform” will utilize AI to help connect qualified job candidates to companies, which could put it in competition with Microsoft’s LinkedIn. 

OpenAI and Microsoft have an uneasy partnership, with Microsoft formally labeling the AI startup as a competitor in search and news advertising in its annual filing last year. Microsoft is OpenAI’s biggest investor, having reportedly poured $13 billion in the company.

The news was announced by Fidji Simo, chief executive officer of applications and the former head of Instacart, in a blog post on Thursday. 

“Importantly, the jobs platform won’t just be a way for big companies to attract more talent. 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 said.

She didn’t elaborate further on details regarding the platform, but a company spokesperson told TechCrunch that it expects to launch the service by mid-2026. 

Additionally, OpenAI will introduce a new certification program in connection with its “OpenAI Academy,” an online learning platform that teaches workers how to use AI on the job better. This could also put it in competition with LinkedIn’s learning platform, which also offers video courses across business, technology and creative fields, with certifications.

“[W]e’re going to expand the Academy by offering 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,” Simo said, adding that the program will utilize ChatGPT’s Study mode. The study feature turns the chatbot into a teacher that questions, hints and provides feedback, instead of giving direct answers.

Organizations will be able to make the certificate part of their own learning and development programs, with OpenAI already working with Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S. OpenAI said it plans to certify 10 million Americans by 2030.

The plans come amid fears about how AI is impacting the labor market. Business leaders like Salesforce’s Marc Benioff have recently announced layoffs due to AI, while new studies have linked the technology to mass job loss for certain workers.  

Simo acknowledged the “disruptive” force of AI in her post, saying jobs and companies will look different and need to adapt. 

“[W]hat we can do is help more people become fluent in AI and connect them with companies that need their skills, to give people more economic opportunities. 

Recent research from labor market data company Lightcast found that roles that require AI skills pay higher salaries on average than those that don’t. 

The new initiatives were also said to come as part of OpenAI’s “commitment to the White House’s efforts toward expanding AI literacy.” 

The company has been strengthening ties with Washington, launching a new offering called OpenAI for Government on June 16, the same day it was awarded a contract of up to $200 million by the U.S. Department of Defense. OpenAI is also part of the $500 billion Stargate project, which aims to invest in AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years. 

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was part of a group of tech leaders that met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday to discuss topics including the development of artificial intelligence. 

Before the dinner, first lady Melania Trump made a speech highlighting the importance of AI in education and American progress, but that “we must manage AI’s growth responsibly.”