Oxford Provides ChatGPT Access to All Students

The University of Oxford has become the first institution of its kind in the UK to provide access to the education version of the artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT for all its students and staff.

ChatGPT Edu, developed specifically for educational purposes by OpenAI, will now be widely available to Oxford students following a successful one-year trial.

The rollout forms part of a five-year partnership between the university and OpenAI, announced in March.

Professor Anne Trefethen, the university's pro-vice-chancellor for digital infrastructure, described the initiative as an "exciting step in our ongoing process of digital transformation".

She added: "There is huge potential for us to harness this to accelerate high-impact, curiosity-led research and innovation, and to facilitate breakthroughs that could address major global challenges.

"All our students will be able to utilise ChatGPT Edu as an accessible tool for study, to enrich and personalise their learning, opening up new opportunities to explore and create."

Designed for university environments, ChatGPT Edu prioritises enhanced privacy and security, ensuring that data remains within individual institutions.

The university-wide launch builds on a pilot programme that engaged around 750 academics, students and staff from diverse roles across the university and its colleges.

Jayna Devani, OpenAI's international education lead, hailed the Oxford initiative as "setting a new standard for how AI can enrich higher education".

She stated: "By making ChatGPT Edu available to everyone, Oxford is equipping all its students, academics and staff with the AI skills, tools and training they need to truly benefit from this transformative technology and succeed in the AI era."

In addition to the platform, the university will offer comprehensive training on using ChatGPT Edu and other generative AI tools, with a focus on ethical usage, critical thinking and responsible application.