OpenAI announced the launch of the first OpenAI Certification courses, targeting two main directions: the workforce and K-12 education:

1. AI Fundamentals Course — launched within the ChatGPT learning mode first, pilot tested by over 20 enterprises and government agencies such as Walmart, Accenture, and Deloitte. Employees can complete learning, practice, and exams directly in the chat window.

2. Teacher Edition ChatGPT Fundamentals Course — now available on Coursera, it can be completed in less than an hour, covering prompt engineering, data privacy, and classroom use cases

Workforce Path: ChatGPT = Classroom + Exam Room  

- Learning Method: Open ChatGPT → Switch to "Learn" mode → Follow the AI tutor to complete real tasks (writing emails, making reports, writing code) → System provides real-time feedback  

- Certification Levels: Earn a badge after completing "AI Foundations"; receive "OpenAI Certification" with project assignments, which can be verified by employers  

- Enterprise Pilot: The first 20 institutions, including Walmart, Lowe’s, Deloitte, BCG, Accenture, and the State of Delaware, have included the course in their employee L&D system, aiming to certify 10 million Americans by 2030 

Education Path: K-12 Teachers Learn in One Hour  

- Platform: Coursera (already available for enrollment), completely free  

- Content Modules: ChatGPT Basics, Prompt Engineering, Data Privacy, Classroom Use Cases, Responsible AI  

- Completion Rewards: Digital certificate + badge, which can be embedded into LinkedIn  

- Expansion Plan: By early 2026, the course will be directly integrated into ChatGPT for Teachers, eliminating the need to switch platforms 

Certification Standards and Partnerships  

- Academic Endorsement: Coursera, ETS, and Pearson Credly jointly developed the learning and assessment framework, ensuring "portability, verifiability, and compliance with psychometric standards"  

- Recruitment Connection: Partnering with Indeed and Upwork, companies can mark positions as "OpenAI Certified" as a filtering criterion, forming a "learning-certification-job search" loop 

Next Steps: Jobs Platform and University Credits  

- Jobs Platform: Launching in 2025, companies can post positions requiring AI certification, and the platform will automatically match certified candidates  

- University Credits: Arizona State University and the California State University system have piloted, where completing the certification can be converted into credits, allowing students to graduate with an "AI Skills Passport"

Industry Signal  

When the "AI skill premium" reaches 50%, OpenAI has put the entire process of "learning → practice → exam → certification" into ChatGPT, equivalent to issuing a "globally recognized AI license" to its 800 million weekly active users. For companies, verifiable AI skills are more effective at reducing hiring costs than just "being able to write prompts"; for platforms, the certification system further locks in the B-side and university ecosystems. AIbase will continue to track the launch of its Jobs Platform and the details of university credit conversion.