Artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has announced plans to launch an AI-powered recruitment platform, marking its latest push into consumer and enterprise applications and potentially setting up a new front in its uneasy partnership with Microsoft.

The OpenAI Jobs Platform, revealed in a blog post by Chief Application Officer Vijay Simo and reported by CNBC, will connect job seekers with employers using AI-driven tools. The platform could emerge as a direct competitor to Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking site.

Simo said the initiative would not only serve major corporations but also “create a pipeline for local businesses to compete” and assist governments in sourcing AI talent to improve public services. A spokesperson told TechCrunch the service is expected to launch by mid-2026.

The move highlights growing tensions between OpenAI and Microsoft, despite the tech giant’s $13 billion investment. Microsoft itself has acknowledged OpenAI as a competitor in areas such as search and advertising.

Alongside the recruitment platform, OpenAI is preparing to roll out a new certification program through its online training hub, OpenAI Academy. The program will integrate ChatGPT’s “Study Mode”, transforming the chatbot into a teaching tool that quizzes users, offers guidance, and provides feedback.

The certification will be available for corporate training programs, with Walmart — America’s largest private employer — already signed on as a partner. OpenAI aims to certify 10 million U.S. workers by 2030, placing it in direct competition with LinkedIn Learning.

The announcements come amid growing unease about AI’s impact on jobs. Recent studies have linked AI to significant job losses, and executives such as Salesforce’s Marc Benioff have cited the technology when announcing layoffs.

OpenAI’s dual strategy — creating a job-matching platform and retraining programs — underscores its ambition to reshape how employers recruit and how workers adapt in an AI-driven economy.