Applicants say AI is making the job market ‘hell’. OpenAI wants to help.

Authors: Joe Hindy

Publisher:

Mashable

Published: 9/15/2025

Language:English

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Tom Banks

Good morning 跑了松鼠好嘛, I'm Tom Banks, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Wednesday, September 17th.

Mask

And I'm Mask. We're here to discuss why applicants say AI is making the job market ‘hell’ and how OpenAI plans to fix it.

Tom Banks

Let's get started. There's a lot of talk, even from OpenAI's own leadership, about being in an "AI bubble." Board chair Bret Taylor compares it to the dot-com era, suggesting that while many ventures might fail, the underlying technology is revolutionary and will create immense future value.

Mask

Of course it's a bubble! All transformative technologies ignite a frenzy. People in 1999 were right about the internet, they just backed the wrong horses. Someone will lose a phenomenal amount of money in AI, but someone else is going to build the future on its back. Chaos breeds opportunity.

Tom Banks

But that chaos has a human cost. Look at Manasi Mishra, a computer science grad from Purdue. After applying everywhere, the only interview she got was at Chipotle. It’s a stark contrast to the six-figure dream she was sold just a few years ago. That's the reality on the ground.

Mask

That’s a market correction. The demand isn't for basic coders anymore; it's for people who can leverage AI to achieve ten times the output. The old entry-level jobs are becoming obsolete. She needs to adapt or be left behind. The market is efficient, not sentimental.

Tom Banks

Well, to understand how we got here, it's worth looking back. In the early 2000s, job hunting moved online to boards like Monster.com. Recruiters spent 70% of their time on paperwork, and it took over 40 days to hire someone. It was a numbers game, but a human-led one.

Mask

A slow, inefficient, human-led game. Then came LinkedIn and social recruiting, which was a marginal improvement. But the real revolution started with data. By 2015, we were using predictive analytics. Now, AI is doing the work. It’s not just about automation; it’s about fundamentally reimagining the process.

Tom Banks

And the numbers are staggering. By 2022, over three-quarters of large companies were using AI in recruitment. Now, chatbots handle the initial conversations, and algorithms match candidates. The average time-to-hire for companies fully using AI has plummeted to just 17 days. It’s a different world.

Mask

Exactly. We've shifted the recruiter's workload from 70% administrative to nearly 70% strategic. We're creating 'superworkers.' A video editor is now an 'AI-powered video producer' who focuses on the creative storyline while the machine handles the tedious edits. This isn't job loss; it's job evolution.

Tom Banks

But that evolution is jarring for many. It feels less like a gentle shift and more like an earthquake, where the ground rules for getting a job are changing overnight. People are being told their skills, which were valuable yesterday, are now just a baseline expectation.

Tom Banks

And there's a huge disagreement on where this is all headed. Some economists are surprisingly pessimistic. Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, for instance, predicted AI would only boost productivity by a tiny 0.7% over the next decade. That hardly sounds like a revolution.

Mask

Economists are looking in the rearview mirror. The pace of AI advancement is unprecedented. GPT-4o mini now performs like the original GPT-4 but at a fraction of the cost. This isn't incremental change. Anthropic's CEO hopes AI will become 'machines of loving grace.' I see them as engines of progress.

Tom Banks

There’s also a debate about who benefits. Early studies on customer support agents and consultants showed that AI gave lower-skilled workers a bigger boost, helping them catch up. It acted as a great equalizer, raising the floor for everyone and increasing productivity by 14% on average.

Mask

That’s a short-sighted view. I believe higher-skilled workers will benefit more in the long run. AI is a tool of augmentation. It complements innovation and complex problem-solving. It will commoditize simple tasks, making the people who can direct the AI, the true visionaries, exponentially more valuable.

Tom Banks

The immediate impact, though, feels worrying. Some projections see unemployment rising to levels we haven't seen since the pandemic, potentially as high as 10-20%. The fear is that AI-driven productivity gains will just concentrate wealth at the top, benefiting investors while suppressing wages for everyone else.

Mask

That's a narrative of fear. The reality is more likely to be a period of intense occupational change, not a tidal wave of unemployment. New, more valuable jobs will emerge. Think of AI ethicists, data scientists, and AI system designers. These roles will be lucrative because they are central to innovation.

Tom Banks

So, it's a painful transition, but one that ultimately leads to better opportunities? The challenge is helping people navigate that transition, ensuring they aren't left behind as entry-level roles evolve to demand new, AI-centric skills like creativity and ethical oversight right from the start.

Tom Banks

Which brings us to what OpenAI is planning. They're launching their own AI-powered Jobs Platform in mid-2026. The goal is to match businesses with candidates and, crucially, to provide the training. They're creating an entire ecosystem to build the workforce of the future.

Mask

It's a necessary step. They're partnering with giants like Walmart to certify 10 million Americans by 2030. You can't just unleash a transformative technology and hope for the best. You have to build the roads, the schools, and the infrastructure for the new economy you're creating.

Tom Banks

That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod.

Mask

See you tomorrow.

## AI's Double-Edged Sword in the Job Market: OpenAI Launches Hiring Platform Amidst Growing Concerns **News Title:** Applicants say AI is making the job market ‘hell’. OpenAI wants to help. **Report Provider:** Mashable **Author:** Joe Hindy **Date/Time Period Covered:** The article discusses recent events and trends, referencing a story published "last week" and polls conducted recently, with OpenAI's platform set to launch in 2026. ### Executive Summary The news article highlights a growing paradox in the job market: generative AI is simultaneously contributing to job market frustrations and being proposed as a solution. While a significant portion of the public expresses concern about AI's potential to cause permanent job losses, OpenAI, a leading AI company, is launching an AI-powered hiring platform and an AI certification program. This move aims to address the very challenges AI is perceived to be creating. ### Key Findings and Conclusions * **Job Market Headwinds:** The job market is experiencing significant challenges, with reports indicating long-term unemployment at a post-pandemic high and "near-zero job growth" in recent months. * **AI's Impact on Job Openings:** A study by three Stanford economists found that AI is already decreasing job openings for software developers. * **Public Anxiety:** A Reuters Ipsos poll revealed that **71 percent** of respondents are concerned that AI will "be putting too many people out of work permanently." * **OpenAI's Proposed Solution:** OpenAI is launching an AI-powered hiring platform, slated to launch in **2026**, which aims to connect employers with AI-savvy employees. This platform will compete with established players like LinkedIn. * **AI Certification Program:** OpenAI is also initiating an AI certification program through its OpenAI Academy, which started earlier this year. This program aims to equip individuals with AI skills and provide them with certifications to present to potential employers. * **Conflicting Visions:** OpenAI's CEO of Applications, Fidji Simo, expresses an optimistic view, stating, "AI will unlock more opportunities for more people than any technology in history." This contrasts sharply with predictions from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who foresees AI potentially destroying half of all entry-level white-collar jobs by **2030**. ### Critical Statistics and Metrics * **71%:** Percentage of respondents in a Reuters Ipsos poll concerned about AI causing permanent job losses. * **2026:** The planned launch year for OpenAI's AI-powered hiring platform. * **2030:** The year by which Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei predicts AI could destroy half of all entry-level white-collar jobs. ### Significant Trends and Changes * **Increased use of AI in Hiring:** Young people are using ChatGPT for job applications, and HR departments are employing AI to screen them, creating a complex and potentially inefficient hiring process. * **Emergence of AI-focused Job Platforms:** OpenAI's upcoming platform will join existing niche players like Hiring.cafe and Sonara, indicating a growing trend in specialized AI-driven recruitment. * **Demand for AI Skills:** OpenAI is actively engaging with businesses like Walmart, consulting firms, and government agencies to understand their needs for AI-proficient employees, suggesting a rising demand for such skills. ### Notable Risks and Concerns * **Job Displacement:** The primary concern is the potential for AI to permanently displace a significant number of workers, particularly in entry-level white-collar roles. * **Competition and Market Saturation:** OpenAI's entry into the job platform market, which already includes a dominant player like LinkedIn, raises questions about its ability to succeed and the potential for market saturation. * **Effectiveness of AI in a Weak Market:** The article notes that even established platforms like LinkedIn have not been a "silver bullet" in the current tough job market, suggesting that AI-powered solutions may face similar limitations. * **Legal Disputes:** A disclosure reveals that Ziff Davis, Mashable's parent company, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging copyright infringement in the training and operation of its AI systems. This adds a layer of legal complexity to OpenAI's operations. ### Important Recommendations (Implied) While no explicit recommendations are made, the article implicitly suggests: * **For Job Seekers:** The need to adapt to the evolving job market by acquiring AI skills and potentially seeking certifications to remain competitive. * **For Employers:** The importance of understanding and leveraging AI in recruitment while also being mindful of its potential impact on the workforce. * **For Policymakers and Industry Leaders:** The necessity of addressing the societal implications of AI on employment and exploring strategies to mitigate job displacement. ### Material Financial Data No specific financial data or figures related to OpenAI's new platform or the financial performance of companies mentioned were provided in the article. ### Contextual Interpretation The article presents a nuanced view of AI's role in the job market. It acknowledges the legitimate anxieties surrounding job losses, supported by statistical data and expert opinions. However, it also highlights OpenAI's proactive approach to leverage AI to solve some of these very problems. The launch of an AI-powered job platform and certification program positions OpenAI as a potential facilitator of the future workforce, aiming to bridge the gap between AI's disruptive potential and its capacity to create new opportunities. The comparison to LinkedIn is crucial, as it signifies OpenAI's ambition to enter a well-established market, and its success will depend on its ability to offer a distinct and valuable proposition in an increasingly AI-driven recruitment landscape. The lawsuit against OpenAI adds a significant caveat, underscoring the ongoing legal and ethical debates surrounding AI development and deployment.

Read original at Mashable →

Last week, The Atlantic published a story with a very frank headline: "The Job Market Is Hell." The piece describes a frustrating situation for job seekers and hiring managers alike: "Young people are using ChatGPT to write their applications; HR is using AI to read them; no one is getting hired." Surveys also show growing anxiety about generative AI and its effect on jobs.

A recent Reuters Ipsos poll found that 71 percent of respondents said "they were concerned that AI will be 'putting too many people out of work permanently.'"Perception doesn't always match reality, but in this case, the job market really is facing headwinds. The Washington Post reported today that long-term unemployment is at a post-pandemic high; in a report on the weak labor market, NBC News cited Citi analysts who reported "near-zero job growth" in recent months; and a study by three Stanford economists recently found that AI is already decreasing job openings for software developers.

Reports like these paint a bleak picture for job applicants. But this month, OpenAI announced that it wants to help job seekers and employers by launching an AI-powered hiring platform. According to TechCrunch, the job platform would compete with LinkedIn and is set to launch in 2026. The new product, which OpenAI outlines in a blog post, would work similarly to other AI-powered job platforms.

In short, the OpenAI Jobs Platform would help employers find AI-savvy employees to hire for whatever needs the company has. OpenAI says it's been working with tons of businesses like Walmart, various consulting firms, and even state government agencies to find out what modern businesses are looking for in terms of AI.

Mashable Light Speed On its face, the concept sounds like an AI-focused version of LinkedIn, where people would create resumes on the platform and be matched up with jobs that fit that description using, of course, AI. In addition to LinkedIn, hiring platforms like Hiring.cafe and Sonara are already trying to fill this niche in the job marketOpenAI also announced that it will start its own AI certification program.

This actually started earlier this year with the launch of OpenAI Academy, an online class program to instruct people on how to use AI better at work. The OpenAI academy will start issuing certifications to people who complete the courses, and those certifications will be shown to potential employers.

(LinkedIn has its own certificate program.)As generative AI causes new challenges and anxieties for job seekers, OpenAI clearly believes it can also solve some of these problems. In a blog post about the OpenAI Jobs Platform, Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s new CEO of Applications, wrote that she believes “AI will unlock more opportunities for more people than any technology in history.

” For job seekers, it may be hard to square this utopian vision with recent comments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who famously predicted that AI could destroy half of all entry-level white-collar jobs by 2030. In addition, LinkedIn already offers many of the tools OpenAI hopes to deliver with its own job platform, and in a tough job market, LinkedIn has hardly been a silver bullet.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.