The OpenAI Certifications initiative officially moves into its next phase with the launch of two new courses designed to equip workers and educators with practical, job-ready AI skills. As AI adoption accelerates across industries, these certifications aim to help millions prepare for an economy transformed by intelligent technologies.
AI is already reshaping how people learn, work, and create. More than 800 million individuals use ChatGPT weekly, while research shows that workers with AI skills earn dramatically more than those without them.
Yet the pace of change has left many unsure where to begin. The OpenAI Certifications program was created to bridge that gap by giving learners clear, accessible pathways to develop the skills employers now seek.
The first offering, AI Foundations, provides hands-on, real-world training directly inside ChatGPT. Learners practice authentic tasks, receive in-context feedback, and reflect on their performance, all within a unified environment. As they progress, they work toward an OpenAI credential verifying their readiness for AI-powered roles across industries.
AI Foundations is being introduced through partnerships with major employers and public-sector organizations, including Walmart, Deere, Lowe’s, Boston Consulting Group, Upwork, Russell Reynolds Associates, Hearst, Elevance Health, and several state-level partners. By embedding early versions of the course in these institutions, OpenAI aims to refine content, improve delivery, and expand access rapidly in the months ahead.
Learners who complete AI Foundations earn their first certification milestone. With additional coursework and a project demonstrating real-world application, they can progress toward the full OpenAI Certification, a comprehensive credential designed to help people grow within their current careers or move into new opportunities.
The launch is supported by Coursera, ETS, and Credly by Pearson, each helping ensure that the courses meet high standards for instructional design, assessment rigor, and real-world value. Their involvement ensures that the certifications delivered are portable, respected, and meaningful to employers.
The initiative also prioritizes future workers. College students in ChatGPT Lab now have early access to AI Foundations, providing them with a tangible advantage as they prepare to enter an AI-driven job market. Partnerships with Arizona State University and the California State University system will further pilot these certifications, offering students robust pathways to demonstrate mastery of essential AI competencies.
Alongside this workforce-focused course, OpenAI is launching ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers, a new program tailored specifically to K–12 educators. Teachers increasingly rely on AI tools to streamline administrative tasks, personalize learning materials, and enhance classroom instruction. This new course gives them the knowledge to use ChatGPT confidently, understand its mechanics, and apply it effectively to real educational scenarios.
Initially available through Coursera, ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers will later be integrated directly into ChatGPT and ChatGPT for Teachers to create the same immersive, hands-on learning experience found in AI Foundations. Additional certifications for educators are also planned as OpenAI expands its investment in academic communities worldwide.
These courses build on significant previous efforts, including OpenAI’s partnership with the American Federation of Teachers to equip 400,000 educators with practical AI skills and the rollout of tools like study mode, which help students learn more effectively. Together, these initiatives reflect a commitment to supporting educators as AI becomes central to modern learning.
The OpenAI Certifications program and the upcoming OpenAI Jobs Platform are deeply interconnected. Certifications make skills visible and verifiable; the Jobs Platform will connect those skills to real employment opportunities. This ecosystem is strengthened by a new partnership with Upwork, which will help workers apply their AI knowledge in freelance and contract roles and help businesses find qualified talent more easily.
AI’s potential is expansive, but its benefits depend on people having the skills to use it well. By launching these new courses, OpenAI is creating clear pathways for workers, teachers, and students to gain those skills, and succeed in a rapidly changing economy. For more news and insights on the fast-moving world of AI, stay tuned and visit ainewstoday.org for the latest updates.
