As AI tools penetrate various academic fields, are even abused in homework, or make cheating in exams increasingly serious, and are even accused of affecting thinking ability, OpenAI announced the launch of a project calledStudy Mode The new feature of (Learning Mode) is expected to help students truly understand the knowledge structure behind the questions by guiding their learning methods, rather than relying solely on AI to provide answers.
This feature is now available to users of the Free, Plus, Pro, and Team versions, and is expected to be available to ChatGPT Edu educational version subscribers in the coming weeks.
Imitate Socratic question-and-answer method to guide users to find the answers themselves
Similar to Anthropic's Learning Mode, launched in Claude in April of this year, OpenAI's "Study Mode" isn't designed to directly provide correct answers. Instead, it uses a Socratic method-like approach to gradually guide users to clarify the core of the question, allowing them to think and answer step by step.
In this mode, ChatGPT first asks a few questions to understand the user's learning goals and prior knowledge level. It then engages the user in a conversation using a so-called "scaffolded learning" framework. This approach emphasizes gradually revealing relevant information based on the learner's individual absorption capacity, avoiding overwhelming the learner with too much content at once, which can lead to difficulty understanding or cognitive overload.
OpenAI pointed out that the focus of the entire design is to give students the opportunity to "find the answers themselves" and gain more solid learning results from it, rather than just using ChatGPT as a "question-and-answer machine" or "answer-copying tool."
Focusing on student feedback, we will gradually adjust and optimize
Unlike previous approaches to developing new features based on large language models, "Study Mode" does not build a separate model. Instead, it adjusts behavior settings based on system instructions. This approach allows for rapid adjustments to conversation strategies and user experience flows based on actual user actions and feedback.
OpenAI stated: "We chose this approach in the hope of quickly learning from student feedback and further improving the overall learning experience. While this may result in inconsistent performance across different dialogues, this repeated testing and correction will help us train the learned model's behavior directly into the main model in the future."
Currently, OpenAI is also working with teachers, scientists, and educational experts to gain a deeper understanding of users' learning needs in different subjects and at different levels. In the future, it may provide more targeted guidance in different fields such as mathematics, language learning, and natural sciences.
A double-edged sword in solving the problem of cheating in AI homework?
According toNew York MagazineA recent special report pointed out that AI tools have become a major source of cheating among students at American universities, causing teachers and school administrators to be highly vigilant about the use of AI tools. Some schools are even considering banning ChatGPT altogether.
However, OpenAI's launch of "Study Mode" is partly a response to criticism from the education community that "AI is used as a cheating tool," attempting to redirect generative AI toward a learning aid role. OpenAI stated that it plans to further personalize this feature in the future, such as automatically adjusting conversation strategies based on student progress, setting learning goals, and tracking learning outcomes.
In addition, "Study Mode" is not mandatory. Users can still switch back to the traditional ChatGPT answer interaction method at any time through the options. This means that users still have the right to choose. However, whether the concept of "guided learning" can be truly implemented still depends on the user's own attitude and motivation.
What's next for AI-assisted learning?
The launch of "Study Mode" isn't just about addressing cheating; it's also part of OpenAI's continued push into the education market. With the expansion of ChatGPT Edu's subscription version, future integration with various online education platforms and learning management systems (LMS) is expected, along with further integration with course materials, providing a real-time interactive learning assistant.
On the other hand, for educators, the emergence of "Study Mode" could also change how students' learning outcomes are assessed. If AI can help students clarify concepts and strengthen logical thinking, teachers may be able to refocus their teaching priorities in the future.
