KPMG joins the top tier of OpenAI’s new partner network, which is backed by $150 million and aims to certify 300,000 consultants by the end of 2026.
KPMG has been named an OpenAI Elite Partner, the highest tier in OpenAI’s newly launched partner network, after helping the company build an internal Supply Chain & Fulfillment Orchestration platform that both sides now plan to take to market. The designation places KPMG above OpenAI’s Advanced and Select tiers and allows it to market AI-native workflow platforms directly to enterprise clients. The move builds on KPMG’s “client-zero” role inside OpenAI, where it constructed internal workflow infrastructure that automates complex operational processes. KPMG is now repackaging that architecture as a commercial offering for large organizations. The arrangement reflects a broader enterprise channel strategy in which OpenAI is leaning on consulting firms and systems integrators to drive adoption. OpenAI has backed the partner program with $150 million and is targeting 300,000 consultant certifications by Dec. 31, 2026, potentially making it one of the largest enterprise AI certification efforts. The three-tier structure of Select, Advanced and Elite resembles longstanding partner models used by major cloud and enterprise software providers. KPMG has said the broader enterprise software shift is toward AI-native, “headless” workflows in which employees state desired outcomes and AI agents coordinate work across existing backend systems. Both sides have described adoption as gradual rather than a replacement of existing enterprise software, particularly in regulated industries, the public sector and cybersecurity.