ChatGPT launches study mode to encourage responsible academic use

ChatGPT, the most widely used artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, has introduced a study mode aimed at university students.

The launch comes amidst ongoing debates about the role of generative AI in higher education and concerns about rising cases of AI-related academic misconduct in the UK.

Released on 30 July 2025, study mode is designed to guide students through a problem rather than simply providing the final answer. Similarly to an academic tutor, it explains topics step-by-step and asks questions to test and develop the user’s understanding.

The launch comes as UK universities report a sharp rise in AI-related cheating

In one example released by developer OpenAI, the chatbot responds to a probability question by asking the student to recall the correct formula, then prompting them to input the data themselves. By contrast, standard mode presents the solution immediately.

Another example shows the tool helping a student revise for an exam by producing a study plan, tailored to their current level of understanding and learning goals.

The launch comes as UK universities report a sharp rise in AI-related cheating. A Guardian investigation found 7,000 proven cases of AI-related misconduct in 2023-24 – equivalent to roughly five per 1,000 students, up from 1.6 per 1,000 in 2022-23. This figure is expected to rise to 7.5 per 1,000 by the end of the year.

Study mode remains optional, meaning students can bypass it entirely

While generative AI is permitted to support university learning, students are prohibited from using it to gain an unfair advantage or to produce work submitted as their own.

OpenAI said that study mode, developed in consultation with teachers, scientists, and education experts, should encourage deeper learning and active participation.

College student Maggie Wang told developers she had used the feature to understand a previously difficult topic: “It was like a tutor who doesn’t get tired of my questions”. Another user described it as “a live, 24/7, all-knowing ‘office hours’”.

Study mode remains optional, meaning students can bypass it entirely.

Nonetheless, Senior Director of AI Programmes at Common Sense Media, Robbie Torney, described the mode as “a positive step toward effective AI use for learning”.