OpenAI has introduced a new feature called Study Mode in ChatGPT, designed to help students build stronger thinking skills instead of simply getting answers. With this new mode enabled, ChatGPT asks questions to assess a student’s understanding and may even refrain from providing direct answers unless the student engages more deeply with the topic.
Study Mode is now available to users on the Free, Plus, Pro, and Team versions of ChatGPT. According to OpenAI, the feature will roll out to ChatGPT Edu users, mainly students, whose schools have purchased access, over the next few weeks.
Why OpenAI Created Study Mode
This update comes as millions of students continue to use ChatGPT in their academic lives. While the chatbot has proven useful as a tutoring tool, researchers have raised concerns about its long-term effects. A recent study found that students who used ChatGPT to write essays showed less brain activity than those who used search engines or wrote without digital help.
OpenAI wants Study Mode to strike a better balance: making AI helpful without letting it replace critical thinking. The idea is to turn ChatGPT into an interactive learning companion, not just a homework shortcut.
The Ongoing Debate Around AI in Education
Since ChatGPT launched in 2022, schools across the world have debated how to handle its use. Some U.S. school districts initially banned the tool, worried it would encourage cheating. But by 2023, many of those bans were lifted, and educators began exploring how to integrate generative AI responsibly.
Now, with Study Mode, OpenAI signals a clear shift toward making ChatGPT more education-friendly. The company isn’t alone in this mission; AI startup Anthropic launched a similar feature called Learning Mode for its Claude chatbot earlier this year.
What Study Mode Can and Can't Do
One current limitation is that students can still switch back to the regular ChatGPT experience if they want quick answers. Right now, OpenAI doesn’t offer any way for teachers or parents to lock students into Study Mode. However, Leah Belsky, OpenAI’s VP of Education, says the company may add admin and parental control tools in the future.
Until then, it’s up to the student to choose to use Study Mode the right way. OpenAI says this is just the first step in improving how students learn with generative AI, and plans to release more updates as it learns how students use these tools across different learning environments.
