OpenAI & CSU to Provide ChatGPT Edu to Students & Staff

OpenAI and California State University (CSU) are working together to provide ChatGPT Edu to more than 500,000 students, staff, and faculty.

ChatGPT Edu is specialized version of the AI model that is tuned for educational use. CSU’s adoption represents “the largest implementation of ChatGPT by any single organization or company anywhere in the world.” CSU will roll out the AI model to 23 campuses, giving it the distinction as being the first AI-powered university in the US.

OpenAI says the deployment will empower students in multiple areas.

The broad access to ChatGPT will allow CSU students to integrate AI into their studies, while faculty can use it to streamline administrative tasks, freeing up more time for teaching and research. This initiative will enhance the CSU experience and equip students with essential AI skills to succeed in an increasingly AI-literate workforce⁠(opens in a new window) and succeed in an increasingly AI-driven U.S. economy through AI initiatives⁠(opens in a new window) like:

• Next-Gen Teaching and Learning: Faculty can leverage ChatGPT for curriculum development and interactive course-specific GPTs, while students benefit from personalized tutoring, study guides, and information retrieval.
• AI Coaching: CSU will introduce a dedicated platform offering free training programs and certifications for all students, faculty, and staff, equipping them with the skills to effectively use AI tools like ChatGPT. This initiative ensures a comprehensive approach to AI skill-building across the university system.
• AI Workforce Readiness: CSU will connect students with apprenticeship programs in AI-driven industries, ensuring graduates enter the workforce with in-demand AI skills.

OpenAI touts the benefits of its AI models in the context of learning and research.

Just two years after its launch, ChatGPT supports over 300 million weekly active users worldwide. Among its most popular uses is learning. Students and lifelong learners rely on ChatGPT for tutoring, personalized access to information across different formats and languages, and the flexibility to explore any topic, anytime. Early research suggests AI can significantly enhance educational outcomes and career readiness: Harvard⁠(opens in a new window) researchers found that an AI-powered tutor, customized for a physics course, doubled student engagement and improved problem-solving, particularly for those with less prior knowledge. Meanwhile, a Microsoft study⁠(opens in a new window) found that individuals with AI skills are over 70% more likely to be hired, highlighting the growing demand for AI proficiency in the workforce.

“AI-powered universities” have also emerged worldwide, with institutions like Arizona State University, ESCP, Harvard University, London Business School, Oxford, and The Wharton School taking steps to make AI as fundamental to their campus as using the internet. CSU’s deployment takes this model a step further, ensuring that students across an entire school system—not just a single campus—have access to this transformative technology.

CSU clearly wants to ensure it is on the leading edge of AI’s transformation of education, giving its students a leg up in a changing world and job market.

“The CSU has long been known for our unwavering commitment to access, equity and innovation. To uphold our mission, we must ensure that our diverse students from across California and staff are ‘AI-empowered’ to thrive as our world evolves,” said Dr. Mildred García, Chancellor of the California State University.

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