The California State University system (CSU) announced it is taking a historic step to expand the use of AI in higher education by providing 460,000+ students and 63,000+ staff and faculty with access to ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT customized for educational institutions. It is the largest implementation of ChatGPT by any single organization or company anywhere in the world. And with a system-wide rollout across 23 campuses, CSU will become the first AI-based university system in the United States.
This broad access to ChatGPT will enable CSU students to integrate AI into their studies, while the faculty can utilize 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:
1.) Next-Gen Teaching and Learning – Faculty can utilize ChatGPT for curriculum development and interactive course-specific GPTs, while students benefit from personalized tutoring, study guides, and information retrieval.
2.) AI Coaching – CSU will introduce a dedicated platform offering free training programs and certifications for all students, faculty, and staff. This initiative will equip them with the skills to effectively use AI tools like ChatGPT and ensure a comprehensive approach to AI skill-building across the university system.
3.) AI Workforce Readiness – CSU will connect students with apprenticeship programs in AI-driven industries, ensuring graduates enter the workforce with in-demand AI skills.
Only two years after its launch, ChatGPT supports over 300 million weekly active users worldwide. One of 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 at any time.
Early research shows that 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, 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 campuses 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.
OpenAI’s goal to ensure that AGI benefits all of humanity includes using AI to democratize knowledge and empower people to solve hard problems worldwide. ChatGPT Edu, launched in May 2024, was built to support this transformation, providing universities with campus-wide access to OpenAI’s latest models, enterprise-level security, and cost-effective pricing. As AI continues to shape the future, ensuring students and educators worldwide can engage with AI will remain a critical priority. CSU’s system-wide adoption sets a precedent for institutions to integrate AI at scale.
KEY QUOTES:
“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.”
- Dr. Mildred García, Chancellor of the California State University
“It is critical that the entire education ecosystem—institutions, systems, technologists, educators, and governments—work together to ensure that all students have access to AI and gain the skills to use it responsibly. CSU is setting a bold example for the education sector.”
• ⁃ Leah Belsky, VP and General Manager of Education at OpenAI
