Everyday low-skill upskilling: OpenAI and Walmart partner to train 10M people in AI by 2030

OpenAI has partnered with Walmart to launch an expanded certification program through its OpenAI Academy, aiming to train 10 million people in AI skills by 2030. The initiative comes as studies show AI-savvy workers command higher pay and productivity, positioning both companies to address the growing demand for AI literacy in the workforce.

What you should know: OpenAI’s Academy has already connected over 2 million people with AI learning resources and will now offer formal certifications across different skill levels.

• The certifications will range “from the basics of using AI at work all the way up to AI-custom jobs and prompt engineering,” according to Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications.
• Walmart serves as one of the launch partners, bringing AI training directly to its associates as part of its retail strategy.
• The program builds on OpenAI’s recent launch of GPT-5, which CEO Sam Altman described as “like having a team of PhD-level experts in your pocket.”

Why this matters: The partnership addresses a critical skills gap as AI becomes essential for workplace competitiveness and career advancement.

• “Studies show that AI-savvy workers are more valuable, more productive, and are paid more than workers without AI skills,” Simo noted in the announcement.
• Walmart’s involvement signals how major retailers are prioritizing AI fluency to maintain competitive advantage in an evolving market.

What they’re saying: Company leaders emphasize democratizing AI access beyond tech-savvy professionals.

• “At Walmart, we know the future of retail won’t be defined by technology alone — it will be defined by people who know how to use it,” said John Furner, Walmart’s CEO.
• “If we want to put more power into the hands of more people, not just a fortunate few, we need to help everyone, at every level, take advantage of the opportunities that come with AI,” Simo explained.

The bigger picture: This certification push coincides with OpenAI’s broader artificial general intelligence (AGI) ambitions, as Altman believes GPT-5 represents “a major step to achieving artificial general intelligence.”