OpenAI Launches 'Study Mode' to Transform ChatGPT Into an AI Tutor That Makes You Think
OpenAI has launched a new feature called Study Mode for ChatGPT, which aims to transform the AI from a simple answer machine into an active learning tool. This mode is designed to challenge students rather than provide immediate answers, encouraging them to think critically and engage more deeply with the material. Do you think it will change how schools and Universities will use or allow AI in the future?
How Study Mode Works
Instead of giving direct solutions, Study Mode prompts users with questions, pushing them to work through problems on their own. For example, suppose a student asks for an answer to a math problem. In that case, ChatGPT might respond with a hint or ask a clarifying question, withholding the final answer until the student demonstrates understanding. This approach is similar to how a tutor might guide a student, fostering a more robust learning experience.
This shift in functionality addresses a growing concern that students have been relying too heavily on AI to complete their work. Recent research indicates that individuals who use AI for tasks like writing essays show less brain activity compared to those who use traditional research methods or their critical thinking skills. By making ChatGPT a more interactive and less passive tool, OpenAI hopes to counteract this trend.
Availability and The Future of AI in Education
Study Mode is currently being rolled out to Free, Plus, Pro, and Team users, with educational plans (school-wide subscriptions) set to receive access in the coming weeks. While there are no forced restrictions to keep students from turning off the mode, OpenAI's VP of Education, Leah Belsky, says the goal is to make the tool so effective that students will want to use it.
This development also highlights a growing trend in the AI industry. Earlier this year, Anthropic introduced a similar feature called Learning Mode for its AI, Claude, showing that the race to create AI that actively teaches and challenges users is heating up. This is seen as just the first step in a larger effort to redefine how AI fits into the classroom, aiming to turn it from a cheat sheet into a tool that genuinely helps build a student's knowledge.
"Now that ChatGPT has a 'Study Mode' designed to be a tutor instead of a cheat sheet, will this change how you use AI for your schoolwork?
Do you think students will actually use it for genuine learning, or is the instant-answer temptation too strong?"
Join FREE & Launch Your Business!
Exclusive Bonus - Offer Ends at Midnight Today
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
2,000 AI Credits Worth $10 USD
Build a Logo + Website That Attracts Customers
400 Credits
Discover Hot Niches with AI Market Research
100 Credits
Create SEO Content That Ranks & Converts
800 Credits
Find Affiliate Offers Up to $500/Sale
10 Credits
Access a Community of 2.9M+ Members
Recent Comments
15
Hey Spurway,
This is very interesting, thanks for sharing this helpful information.
Did you know that Gemini also has this funtion/tool? To activate Gemini's Guided Learning mode, navigate to gemini.google.com or open the Gemini mobile app, enter your learning question in the text box, and tap the "Guided Learning" (desktop) or "Learn" (mobile) option before submitting your prompt.
Hi Hein
That's a great point! You're absolutely right, and it's a perfect example of how this "AI tutor" trend is heating up across different platforms.
The fact that both Gemini and ChatGPT are rolling out similar "Guided Learning" or "Study Mode" features shows that the biggest AI companies are all converging on the same idea. They're realizing that simply giving a user an instant answer isn't the most valuable or responsible way forward.
Instead, they're shifting to a model that encourages critical thinking and active learning. This really supports the idea that the future of AI in education isn't about replacing the learning process it's about making it more interactive and effective.
Thanks for sharing this, it adds a lot to the conversation.
Have a great day
Sylvia
Hm. It sounds like it could be good, Sylvia.
However, I can also see Shakida's point. Perhaps we should utilize the old children's educational shows to train these AI tutors to teach kids effectively from the start. IDK.
JD
Hi thanks for commenting .
It's all about how we use AI. Many people are stuck using it for the same simple tasks, failing to grow along with the technology itself. We saw a surge in courses and guides when AI was new, but that has faded even as the tech has gotten better.
Students need to be taught early on how to use AI effectively, ensuring they don't lose their natural curiosity and drive to do their own research.😀😀
A bit of a long response but this is my opinion.
Hmm….coming from a student, “No.” Especially college level. I’ve seen this in every English class I had this year and all of last year. And this is partially because of the CEOs and owners of these tools.
Their attitudes that all jobs are replaceable and that AI will eventually do everything has sped up this “instant answer” (or as I like to call it microwave tv dinner learning) in students who will look (and Do) look at challenging problems as too hard. If anything AI will become a crutch to most students instead of an assistant tool.
Sort of like “Google Chrome”. The most well known and powerful search engine in the world. We have all become dependent on it and less on physical books, card catalogs, libraries, Encyclopedias, Thesaurus’s, etc. I remember growing up using all of these.
But when you go to the libraries now, especially in my area the libraries are ghost towns. When you ask one of the younger generation what is a Thesaurus or an Encyclopedia, tell me you don’t get a blank stare? Card catalogs? “What is that?”
There will be those who genuinely will use it for the purpose of its creation like I did and was taught to when Google Chrome took over and became the instant answer to all questions. This is also coming from someone with a teaching background as well.
We must understand one thing that kids will be kids and most do not like boring or hard work (most are easily distracted: 👀 Look! A orange Ball!) and a lot will fall on the parents to keep this education up at home. When students are away from the teachers.
I would go so far as to challenge AI interactive tools with old tech that is still used today, think of Blues Clues, Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Reading Rainbow, Dora the Explorer (Yes, I’m showing my age😂😂😂), Between the Lions, etc.
These old TV shows will hold a small child’s attention even until this very day (so long as there are no other toys around) and these shows are 20-25+ years old. Each of them had a different purpose either to teach a child how to read (Reading Rainbow, Sesame Street), or to count (Dora the explorer, Blues Clues, Between the Lions) and more.
Not saying we should regress as a society but when I look at new tech all it is to me is repackaged “Expensive” old tech taking the place of “Human interaction.” Think about it. What were children looking at (or doing) before kids television programs became a thing? Educational or otherwise?
What were accounting tools before digital automation? 👀 Very Smart Mathematicians (accountants). This to me shows a decline in education with the advancement of new tech. So, the question I have is when should AI be introduced to students? What’s the appropriate age range?
And what will be the use of teachers should AI succeed in getting students to learn? I’ll answer that for you, Baby Sitters and an easy way to cut their pay as well.
But that’s just me, my opinion, and what I see presently happening in the college system right now. I also would point out that “interactive systems” (Pearson, Kahoot, Khan Academy) for test and study habits are already in existence. Why use AI when this interactive technology already exists?
Why fix something that isn’t broken?
The technology is out there for students to learn with. I think there are a lot of “at home factors” that are causing students problems with their learning and until those social issues are solved first, AI in my opinion with time will be as useful as Google Chrome is today (Microwave TV Dinner).
That's a really insightful take, and I appreciate you sharing your perspective as both a student and someone with a teaching background. Your comparison of AI to the rise of Google and the subsequent decline of libraries and traditional research methods is particularly powerful. It highlights a legitimate fear that AI could accelerate the "microwave TV dinner learning" you describe.
I think you've hit on the core challenge: will students choose the harder path? It's true that a lot of students will always be drawn to the quickest way to get a good grade. The existence of great learning tools like Khan Academy and Quizlet, which are underutilized by many, supports your argument that the problem isn't a lack of tools, but a lack of motivation.
However, I think your perspective raises another crucial point: the responsible usage of AI isn't about replacing teachers, but empowering them. This reminds me of how computers were initially expected to create a paperless office, yet we ended up printing more than ever because we weren't taught how to use the technology efficiently. AI is similar; it's a powerful tool, but its benefit depends entirely on how we learn to use it.
Just as a calculator didn't replace math teachers—it freed them up to teach more complex concepts AI could free up teachers from administrative tasks and repetitive explanations. This would allow them to focus on the human-centered aspects of education:
fostering critical thinking, guiding group projects, and providing personalized one-on-one support.
Going backward isn't a solution. As technology evolves, we need to equip students with the right skills to navigate a world that will be increasingly shaped by AI. If we don't, they risk being left behind. The goal shouldn't be to ban the tool but to teach students to use it properly, just as we teach them how to do responsible research online.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this: Do you think there's any scenario where Study Mode could succeed, maybe with specific subjects like math or coding where a single, logical path to the answer exists? Or do you feel that the fundamental issue of motivation and "instant gratification culture" is too big for any single piece of technology to solve?
This is right on time with the upcoming school year right around the corner or even already started in some cases. “Cheating” will always be an issue when it comes to school because not every student holds every subject with the amount of enthusiasm or interest.
With this new technology it may take some of the anxiety or pressure off of the learner to hurry up and get the right answer. Hopefully the AI will even be able to better understand “how” the student learns and ways to help them process what they are learning. Learning is very diverse and not everyone learn the same way at the same speed. I like that the company is taking on the challenge of making a tool students will want to use and not just something to appease the educational system.
Hi Beelyta
That's a really great point, especially with the school year beginning. The anxiety and pressure to get the "right answer" is a huge part of the academic experience, and it's something a lot of students struggle with.
I agree that the most exciting part of this new AI is its potential to be a personalized tool. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, a good AI tutor could adapt to a student's individual learning style and pace. This could be a significant step toward making education more accessible and less stressful for everyone. It's a much better goal than just creating a tool to satisfy the school system.
Have a nice day
Sylvia 😀👍😀
See more comments
Join FREE & Launch Your Business!
Exclusive Bonus - Offer Ends at Midnight Today
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
2,000 AI Credits Worth $10 USD
Build a Logo + Website That Attracts Customers
400 Credits
Discover Hot Niches with AI Market Research
100 Credits
Create SEO Content That Ranks & Converts
800 Credits
Find Affiliate Offers Up to $500/Sale
10 Credits
Access a Community of 2.9M+ Members
Hi Spurway. I Think That Some Sudents Will Use AI Like Rechearch, Others For Not Have Soo Much Work. Thanks For Your Post. Have a Good Weekend😊😊
Hello Carla,
Yes, I agree with you completely. It all comes down to individual choice some people will always take the easy way, while others will do the right thing and use it to add genuine value. We are all learning and growing in different ways.
Thanks again, and I hope you have a great weekend as well.
Best regards,
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia. Have a Great Weekend Too😉😉