OpenAI launches first ChatGPT certification courses

OpenAI launched its first OpenAI Certifications courses by releasing an AI Foundations program inside ChatGPT through pilot programs and a separate ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers course on Coursera.

The move advances the company’s effort to expand economic opportunity and to certify ten million Americans by 2030, the AI pioneer said in an announcement.

AI Foundations is designed to teach practical, job-ready AI skills inside ChatGPT where learners can practice tasks, receive contextual feedback and earn a badge as they progress toward full OpenAI Certification, OpenAI noted.

The program is starting with pilot partners - big American brands - that include Walmart, John Deere, Lowe’s, Boston Consulting Group, Russell Reynolds Associates, Upwork, Elevance Health and Accenture.

The AI-rooted edu-tech will be supported by industry training leaders Coursera, ETS and Credly by Pearson which, according to OpenAI, will support standards for learning design, psychometrics and 'credential portability'.

OpenAI also highlighted that college students in the ChatGPT Lab will get early access and said it is piloting courses with Arizona State University and the California State University system.

Meanwhile, the ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers is aimed at K-12 educators and covers how ChatGPT works, personalization and classroom and administrative applications; it will be available initially on Coursera and is planned for ChatGPT and ChatGPT for Teachers in early 2026.

The course is designed to builds upon OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Teachers offerings and its partnership with the American Federation of Teachers to equip 400,000 K-12 educators, and complements tools like study mode, the company added.

"We’re building fast, learning with partners, and expanding carefully—and we’re just getting started," the ChatGPT maker commented.

OpenAI said the two courses are intended to connect learning, certification and economic opportunity ahead of an OpenAI Jobs Platform; which sees the AI firm collaborating with careers, recruitment and job search websites Indeed and Upwork.

The Recap

• OpenAI launched AI Foundations inside ChatGPT and a ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers course on Coursera as its first certification offerings.
• The programs are being piloted with employers, public partners and universities and are intended to feed into broader certification and a jobs platform that aims to certify ten million Americans by 2030.
• Initial partners named include Walmart, John Deere, Lowe’s, Coursera and the American Federation of Teachers.