The Diamond State’s officials have been exploring how to move forward responsibly with AI, establishing a generative AI policy this year to help inform safe use among public-sector employees, which one official said was the “first step” to informing employees about acceptable AI use. The Delaware Artificial Intelligence Commission also took action this year to advance a “sandbox” environment for testing new AI technologies including agentic AI; the sandbox model has proven valuable for governments across the U.S., from San Jose to Utah.
The OpenAI Certification Program aims to address a common challenge for states: fostering AI literacy in the workforce and among students. It builds on the OpenAI Academy, an open-to-all initiative launched in an effort to democratize knowledge about AI. The initiative’s expansion will enable the company to offer certifications based upon levels of AI fluency, from the basics to prompt engineering. The company is committing to certifying 10 million Americans by 2030.
“As a former teacher, I know how important it is to give our students every advantage,” Gov. Matt Meyer said in a statement. “As Governor, I know our economy depends on workers being ready for the jobs of the future, no matter their zip code.”
The partnership will start with early-stage programming across schools and workforce training programs in Delaware in an effort led by the state’s new Office of Workforce Development, which was created earlier this year. The office will work with schools, colleges and employers in coming months to identify pilot opportunities for this programming, to ensure that every community in the state has access.
Delaware will play a role in shaping how certifications are rolled out at the community level because the program is in its early stages and Delaware is one of the first states to join, per the state’s announcement.
“We’ll obviously use AI to teach AI: anyone will be able to prepare for the certification in ChatGPT’s Study mode and become certified without leaving the app,” OpenAI’s CEO of Applications Fidji Simo said in an article.
This announcement comes on the heels of the federal AI Action Plan’s release. The plan, among other content potentially limiting states' regulatory authority, aims to invest in skills training and AI literacy.
“By boosting AI literacy and investing in skills training, we’re equipping hardworking Americans with the tools they need to lead and succeed in this new era,” U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement about the federal plan.
Delaware’s partnership with OpenAI for its certification program mirrors this goal, equipping Delawareans with the knowledge to use these tools — in the classroom, in their careers and beyond.
AI skills are a critical part of broader digital literacy efforts; today, “even basic digital skills include AI,” National Digital Inclusion Alliance Director Angela Siefer said earlier this summer.
