By | Guo Yingjian (Deputy Dean, Institute of Capital Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China)
On January 18th, Arizona State University (ASU) announced that it will deeply collaborate with OpenAI, the parent company of artificial intelligence software ChatGPT. ASU has become the first university in the United States and even in the world to partner with this institution.What is the reason behind the collaboration between ASU and OpenAI, and what impact will it have on the future of higher education?An innovative move by a public university
It is well known that many of the top universities in the United States are private universities, which often leads people to overlook the many public universities in the country. However, in fact, the leading public universities in the United States are on par with private prestigious schools in terms of student quality, academic reputation, and influence.It should be noted that most public universities in the United States are state universities and are operated by state governments. They usually have dedicated "public university systems." Furthermore, every state in the United States has at least one public university, and some larger states often have multiple ones.ASU, as a well-known public university, ranks 105th among national universities and 51st among public universities in the latest 2024 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1885, this public university held the top spot on the U.S. News & World Report's national ranking of innovative universities from 2016 to 2023, earning a reputation as an innovative and research-oriented institution.On January 18th, ASU became the first university to reach a cooperation agreement with an artificial intelligence company.Since the official launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the use of generative AI tools by various institutions and organizations has increased significantly. According to information released by OpenAI, as of August last year, more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies' teams were using ChatGPT. However, there has yet to be a precedent of cooperation between artificial intelligence companies and universities.In an interview with the media, Nick Krawczyk, ASU's chief information officer, stated that research shows that nearly two-thirds of organizations are actively exploring the integration of artificial intelligence. "By providing advanced AI capabilities, these tools are creating a fair competitive environment that allows individuals and organizations, regardless of their size or resources, to leverage the power of AI and make creative and innovative efforts."It is reported that the cooperation between ASU and OpenAI aims to bring the advanced features of "ChatGPT Enterprise Edition" into higher education and make new attempts in improving learning, creativity, and student performance at universities.OpenAI's first two-way collaboration with a university
The "ChatGPT Enterprise Edition" was launched by OpenAI on August 28, 2023. It provides enterprise-level security and privacy protection, unlimited high-speed access to GPT-4, and a longer context window, enabling the processing of longer and more extensive input information. In addition, it has advanced data analysis capabilities and customizable options.ASU President Michael Crow said that they recognize that powerful AI systems will continue to exist and are optimistic about them becoming incredible tools. These tools can help students learn, improve their learning efficiency, and help them gain a comprehensive understanding of subjects. He emphasized, "This collaboration reflects our vision and commitment to directly participate in the reliable evolution of AI learning technology."Starting from February this year, ASU will seek input from faculty and staff on innovative ways to use ChatGPT Enterprise Edition. It is reported that the university is focusing on three key areas, namely increasing student success rates, opening up new avenues for innovative research, and simplifying organizational processes.Krawczyk stated that their goal is to fundamentally change educational technology, assist academic research, and improve administrative efficiency through the development of AI-driven projects. The platform prioritizes user privacy and adopts enterprise-level security measures to protect user data. These measures aim to prevent digital security threats and provide a secure environment for utilizing platform functionalities.Michael Littman, Chief Operating Officer of OpenAI, said, "Learning is the core reason why many users love ChatGPT. By integrating ChatGPT into their educational programs, ASU continues to lead innovation. We are excited to learn from ASU and are committed to expanding the application of ChatGPT in higher education."Regarding the specifics of the collaboration, the details have not been publicly disclosed by both parties. However, based on information revealed in media reports, the collaboration between ASU and OpenAI mainly includes the following three aspects.First, ASU will have free access to ChatGPT-4. The core of this collaboration is that approved faculty and students at ASU will have unrestricted access to ChatGPT-4 for free. The university has not disclosed how much they will pay OpenAI for this, but we know that individual user accounts for GPT-4 usually cost $20 per month.
