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OpenAI has announced its first formal partner programme, backed by $150 million, aiming to build a global network of system integrators, managed service providers and consultants to scale its enterprise AI products amidst rising competition.
OpenAI has moved to formalise its channel strategy with the launch of its first partner programme, a push backed by $150 million and designed to widen the distribution of its enterprise products. The OpenAI Partner Network is due to begin in July and is intended to build a global base of system integrators, managed service providers and consultants capable of deploying the company’s tools at scale.
The programme will be structured in three levels: Select, Advanced and Elite. According to the company, progression will depend on sales performance, technical ability, co-selling activity and deployment experience. Partners will also be able to develop specialisms in areas including Codex, cybersecurity, APIs and agent transformation, while a pilot Forward Deployed Experts scheme will give Elite partners on-site support from OpenAI engineers.
OpenAI says the investment will help with partner enablement, offset some delivery costs and fund market development. The company is aiming to certify 300,000 consultants by the end of 2026, underscoring the scale of its enterprise ambitions. The move follows a string of business-facing initiatives, including the Frontier enterprise platform and tie-ups with major consultancies such as Accenture, Boston Consulting Group, Capgemini and McKinsey. In May, OpenAI also unveiled the OpenAI Deployment Company, a $4 billion professional services venture backed by 19 investors.
Colleen Kapase, OpenAI’s vice president of global strategic partners and ecosystem, has portrayed the opportunity for partners in unusually expansive terms, saying the company’s huge weekly user base creates room for firms that can help customers adopt its technology. She also stressed that OpenAI is prioritising quality over volume in selecting partners, describing the bar as high for companies that are AI-focused, transformational and able to keep pace with the company’s product cycle. The launch comes as competitors, including Anthropic, build out their own partner ecosystems.
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Source: Fuse Wire Services
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