Universities Urged to Guard Their Role as AI Firms Expand Into Education and Jobs

By Benson Daniel

Universities are being urged to protect their independent role in preparing students for employment as artificial intelligence companies expand from education tools into professional training, certification and recruitment.

The warning comes from Ella Hafermalz, an associate professor of work and technology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, who argues that the growing involvement of major AI companies in education and employment could gradually give private technology firms greater influence over how students learn, acquire credentials and enter the labour market.

Her concerns come as OpenAI expands initiatives that connect AI training with workplace opportunities. The company has introduced certification programmes and has said it is developing a Jobs Platform intended to connect people with training, credentials and employment opportunities.

OpenAI’s certification programmes currently focus on practical AI skills. Its courses allow learners to practise tasks, receive feedback and work towards certificates demonstrating their abilities. The programmes have been developed with employers and other partners, including Accenture, Walmart and John Deere.

Hafermalz argues that this development represents more than a new form of professional training. In her view, the combination of learning tools, certification and employment services could allow a technology company to become involved in several stages of the journey from university education to the workplace.

She says universities should therefore be careful about becoming overly dependent on AI platforms for teaching, assessment and career preparation.

The debate comes at a time when AI is becoming increasingly embedded in education and employment. OpenAI has also expanded its Academy, offering structured courses covering AI fundamentals, workplace applications, agents and workflows, as well as education and career preparation.

The company has simultaneously increased its involvement with businesses. In May 2026, it launched the OpenAI Deployment Company, backed by more than $4 billion in initial investment, with a model that places specialised engineers alongside organisations to help redesign workflows and deploy AI systems. The company said the initiative began with approximately 150 experienced deployment engineers and specialists.

For Hafermalz, the combination of these activities raises questions about who ultimately determines the skills students should develop and how those skills are recognised by employers.

She argues that universities provide functions that cannot easily be reduced to technical training, including independent thinking, interaction with teachers and peers, exposure to different areas of knowledge and the opportunity for students to develop their identities beyond immediate labour-market demands.

The issue is particularly important as employers adjust to rapidly changing technologies. Skills that are highly valued today could become less relevant as AI systems develop, potentially creating a risk if education becomes too closely tied to the immediate requirements of particular technologies or companies.

OpenAI, however, presents its education and employment initiatives differently. The company says its goal is to help people develop practical AI skills and connect those skills with economic opportunities. Its education strategy also includes working with governments, universities and education systems to integrate AI into learning and workforce development.

The debate therefore extends beyond OpenAI itself. Other technology companies are also developing AI training, credentials and workplace tools, increasing the role of private technology providers in professional development.

For universities, the challenge will be finding a balance between embracing technologies that can help students prepare for a changing labour market and preserving their independence as educational institutions.

The growing role of AI in education does not necessarily mean universities will lose their position. But it does raise broader questions about who controls the systems through which young people acquire skills, demonstrate their abilities and gain access to employment.

As AI becomes more deeply connected to both classrooms and workplaces, those questions are likely to become increasingly important for universities, employers, students and policymakers.