OpenAI launches free AI training course for teachers
1min read OpenAI and its nonprofit partner Common Sense Media said Wednesday that they have launched a free training course for teachers aimed at demystifying artificial intelligence and promoting engineering.
The training course, which is aimed at teachers from kindergarten to 12th grade, shows them how to use the ChatGPT chatbot product in various educational use cases, such as creating course content or streamlining department meetings. It is the first product from OpenAI and Common Sense Media.
The move comes as OpenAI steps up efforts to highlight the positive role of its ChatGPT chatbot in education. The bot, which was launched in November 2022, sparked a wave of generative AI and became one of the world's fastest-growing applications.
Trained on vast amounts of data, generative AI can create completely new human-like content to help users write semester papers, complete science assignments, or even write a full novel. The launch of ChatGPT caught teachers off guard as they realized it could be used as a tool for cheating and plagiarism, leading to strong opposition and school bans.
OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft (MSFT.US) and other investors, was valued at $157bn in its last funding round. The company has assembled a dedicated team to support the responsible use of AI in education and learning, led by former Coursera executive Leah Belsky.
"My goal is to get every student and teacher comfortable with AI and teach them how to use it responsibly and effectively," Leah Belsky said. The acceptance of ChatGPT among students is "very, very high", and parents generally support it, seeing AI skills as crucial for future careers, she said.
