OpenAI seizes early lead in US colleges & schools

OPENAI HAS established a beachhead at many US colleges, overcoming university administrators’ wariness of AI and giving ChatGPT a headstart on becoming the go-to assistant for the next generation of workers.

- BRODY FORD & LIAM KNOX

The company has sold more than 700,000 ChatGPT licences to about 35 public universities for use by students and faculty. By contrast, Microsoft, which typically bundles its Copilot assistant with existing software, has experienced more measured uptake of its AI tool at these schools —and faculty are more likely to use it than students.

ChatGPT adoption on campus has happened quickly. Students and faculty used it more than 14 million times in September, according to data from 20 campuses that have signed contracts with OpenAI. On average, each user called on ChatGPT 176 times that month for help with such tasks as writing, research and data analysis.