OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is making a significant move into hardware by developing its own artificial intelligence chips. According to a report by the Financial Times, CEO Sam Altman is guiding the company to produce in-house processors in partnership with Broadcom, a leading semiconductor firm. This initiative aims to decrease OpenAI’s dependency on Nvidia, which currently leads the AI market with its accelerators. The first chips are anticipated to be available by 2026, but OpenAI plans to keep the technology exclusive initially, using the chips internally to enhance its infrastructure rather than selling them right away. This strategy could enable OpenAI to directly compete with Nvidia within the rapidly growing AI hardware sector.
Hints of the collaboration surfaced during Broadcom’s latest investor call, where CEO Hock Tan indicated that the company was actively working with clients on AI accelerators. While he did not specify OpenAI as a partner, Tan mentioned that one major client had already made a substantial production order. He stated, “Last quarter, one of these prospects released production orders to Broadcom. We now expect the outlook for fiscal 2026 AI revenue to improve significantly from what we had indicated last quarter.” In addition to chip development, OpenAI is also aiming to make an impact in the job market. Next year, it plans to launch an AI-driven employment platform designed to connect companies with professionals skilled in artificial intelligence.
This platform is expected to compete with established services like LinkedIn and Glassdoor, addressing the increasing need for AI expertise across various sectors. To support this initiative, OpenAI will introduce a comprehensive certification program aimed at equipping workers with practical AI skills, focusing on real-world applications rather than just theoretical knowledge. Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S., is among the partners collaborating with OpenAI on this endeavor, with the goal of certifying 10 million Americans by 2030. These developments were discussed during a White House task force meeting on AI and education, hosted by First Lady Melania Trump, which included prominent tech leaders such as Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai of Alphabet.
OpenAI later confirmed that Altman would continue conversations with senior officials regarding AI policy and workforce development. The dual focus on hardware innovation and workforce training underscores OpenAI’s broader ambitions. By creating custom chips, the company seeks to mitigate the industry’s reliance on Nvidia while ensuring its systems are scalable. Concurrently, its job platform and certification initiative aim to prepare workers for an economy increasingly influenced by AI technologies. If successful, both initiatives could enable OpenAI to transform the AI hardware landscape and assist millions of workers in adapting to the future job market.