OpenAI explores ChatGPT's potential in classrooms

OpenAI, whose generative AI products initially raised fears of widespread cheating on homework, is now exploring how to integrate its popular ChatGPT chatbot into classrooms, according to a senior executive.

OpenAI's chief operating officer, Brad Lightcap, said at a conference in San Francisco that the company will form a team to explore educational applications of a technology that has threatened to upend industries, stoked new legislation and become a popular learning tool.

Backed by billions of dollars from Microsoft, OpenAI kicked off the generative AI craze last November with the release of its ChatGPT chatbot, which quickly became one of the world's fastest-growing applications. Trained on vast datasets, generative AI can produce brand-new humanlike content, aiding users in tasks like term papers, science homework, and even writing novels.

After ChatGPT's launch, regulators rushed to catch up; the European Union revised its AI Act, and the U.S. initiated AI regulation efforts.

 The launch also caught teachers off-guard, realizing its potential as a tool for cheating and plagiarism, leading to a backlash and school bans.

Universities in France, Japan, and other countries have taken action against student use of ChatGPT. 

"Teachers thought it was the worst thing that had ever happened," Lightcap said. 

But within a few months, teachers started seeing how ChatGPT could be beneficial, he said.

A college teacher who teaches translation in Qufu City, east China's Shandong Province told CGTN that she has been using ChatGPT and a like-wise Chinese chatbot ERNIE Bot for about half a year.

The teacher used these tools to design lesson planning and writing language analysis. "They can greatly improve my work efficiency," the teacher said.

But she also mentioned that users should have in-depth knowledge and research, thus making choices in choosing what they really need.

Chu Zhaohui, a researcher at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences, believes that AI tools in education can assist with simple, repetitive tasks, allowing teachers and students to focus on education, teaching, and complex learning.

According to Reuters, OpenAI has established partnerships with education groups such as Khan Academy to create an AI-powered tutor and with Schmidt Futures to give grants to education groups in underserved communities.

The market is substantial, with global education and training expenditures estimated to reach $10 trillion by 2030, according to Sydney-based research firm HolonIQ.

(With input from Reuters)