OPENAI
Students, AI is done helping you cheat
OpenAI has introduced Study Mode in ChatGPT, a new feature designed to push students to think for themselves instead of just asking for a quick answer.
With this mode on, ChatGPT responds with follow-up questions, nudges users to explain their thinking, and might even refuse to give a direct answer unless the student actually engages.
It’s available now for anyone using the Free, Plus, Pro, or Team plans, and will be coming soon to Edu accounts, the ones set up by schools for entire student bodies.
This move is part of OpenAI’s wider effort to make ChatGPT more useful in classrooms, especially after all the early panic when it first launched.
Back in 2022, schools were quick to ban it.
But by 2023, many of them started welcoming it back, realising it’s not going anywhere.
That said, Study Mode isn’t locked in.
Students can still switch back to regular ChatGPT whenever they want.
Right now, there’s no option for teachers or parents to keep them in Study Mode, but OpenAI says that could change down the line.
What to know:
Study Mode asks follow-up questions to get students thinking instead of just giving answers.
It’s live now across most ChatGPT plans, with school accounts coming soon.
There’s no way to lock it in, students can turn it off if they want.
ChatGPT is in its tough love era
It’s not the only AI company trying this. Anthropic launched a similar “Learning Mode” for Claude earlier this year.
And while AI can be a helpful tutor, some studies suggest it might dull critical thinking.
One report even found that students using ChatGPT for essay writing showed lower brain activity compared to those using Google or doing it from scratch.
Imagine trying to cheat and ChatGPT hits you with a pop quiz.