Expanding economic opportunity with AI

🔗https://shre.ink/OpenAI-expanding-economic-opportunity-with-AI

by Fidji Simo

The article “Expanding economic opportunity with AI” by Fidji Simo, CEO of Applications at OpenAI, opens with a fundamental question: What do recent AI advancements mean for your job or your business? The answer: AI has the potential to become a massive force for economic empowerment—if access, training, and opportunity are widely distributed.

That’s why ChatGPT remains free for the vast majority of its users. OpenAI believes that AI’s economic benefits shouldn’t be reserved for a few; they should be accessible to everyone—from small business owners and community leaders to job seekers and freelancers.

To turn this vision into reality, OpenAI is launching two new initiatives. The first is the OpenAI Jobs Platform, a tool that connects employers and talent using AI. Whether you're a small business or a local government agency, the platform helps you find people with the AI skills you need—using AI itself to do the matchmaking.

The second initiative is OpenAI Certifications, integrated into OpenAI Academy and accessible through ChatGPT’s Study Mode. Users will be able to earn credentials that demonstrate real, job-relevant skills—ranging from foundational AI literacy to advanced prompt engineering.

OpenAI’s ambition is bold: certify 10 million Americans by 2030. To do that, it’s partnering with organizations like Walmart, Accenture, and Indeed to expand access to affordable, verified training and help shift the labor market toward a skills-first economy.

These programs align with broader government-led efforts to increase AI literacy and economic mobility. OpenAI is working directly with educators and employers to make sure its certifications reflect what’s actually needed in the job market—avoiding vague or theoretical programs.

Ultimately, this is about more than just employment. It’s about reshaping the economy to ensure more people are on the “up escalator.” That means democratizing not just the tools of AI, but the opportunities AI creates—and doing so in ways that promote inclusion, mobility, and long-term resilience.