Elevance Health has announced a new collaboration with OpenAI to expand its employee development programs by integrating artificial intelligence skills training into its workforce education offerings. The insurer now gives staff the chance to earn formal certifications in AI “fluency,” covering everything from foundational skills like prompt engineering to more advanced AI-enabled work. This initiative is designed to help Elevance associates “build critical skills, adapt to emerging technologies and advance their careers,” according to a company press statement.
Alongside the OpenAI-supported certification track, Elevance is enhancing its internal skills academy and learning programs. New course modules in AI principles, human-centered design, and data literacy are being added to help associates gain better foundational workplace skills and enable enhanced capabilities. The insurer reports that more than 38,000 associates have already completed over 66,000 courses under its existing education programs.
Elevance is also expanding its education benefits to include debt-free degree pathways, partnering with Colorado Technical University and American InterContinental University. Under these arrangements, employees can access no-cost degree programs supported through tuition assistance and university grants. The aim is to complement the traditional tuition assistance benefits and enable fully funded education opportunities.
From Elevance’s standpoint, this step represents more than just professional development; it’s part of a broader strategy to ensure its workforce stays competitive in a health care environment increasingly shaped by technology. By equipping associates with fluency in AI tools, Elevance seeks to enhance its capacity to deliver an improved healthcare experience.
Elevance Health serves over 109 million consumers through its wide portfolio covering medical, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, home health, and complex care solutions. The new training programs are expected to roll out later this year and represent a major investment in human capital, matching the broader trend of healthcare organizations investing in digital health, workforce upskilling, and AI readiness. As the industry accelerates toward more tech-enabled care, Elevance Health’s move could be seen as setting a benchmark in payer strategy and workforce transformation.
