OpenAI appears to be piloting a new functionality for ChatGPT, referred to as “Study Together.” Social media activity on Sunday featured numerous users sharing screenshots of the feature, suggesting that the San Francisco-based AI company is in the midst of a testing phase. Early user feedback indicates that it closely resembles Google’s LearnLM, emphasizing a teaching approach instead of providing straightforward answers to inquiries. There has been no announcement regarding a timeline for the feature’s public release.
ChatGPT Said to Be Working on the Study Together Feature
Multiple users shared their experiences on social media platforms, with TechCrunch being the first to report on it. The feature seems to be accessible to select ChatGPT Plus users via a dropdown menu in the interface. Describing the functionality, Reddit user u/epic-cookie64 remarked, “It seems to break down larger concepts into smaller topics, and then asks questions and teaches.”
This description indicates that the feature is centered around the Socratic method, which encourages learning through dialogue and questioning rather than straightforward instruction. This pedagogical approach is recognized for its effectiveness in imparting complex topics and ideas.
The newly introduced mode also aims to assist students by promoting genuine learning over AI-assisted cheating for homework and assignments. A survey highlighted by The Guardian revealed that nearly 7,000 instances of AI-related academic dishonesty were documented across UK universities in the 2023-24 academic year. This results in a prevalence rate of 5.1 cases per 1,000 students, an increase from 1.6 cases per 1,000 students in the previous year.
Interestingly, users can already engage with ChatGPT to explore complex topics using the Socratic method by prompting the chatbot accordingly. However, the forthcoming feature is expected to enhance accessibility and streamline this process. As of now, no additional information about the feature has been disclosed, and OpenAI has made no official communication regarding a release date for Study Together.
In related developments, Google launched a specialized version of its chatbot known as Gemini for Education earlier this month, also integrating the Socratic method to support student learning across various subjects.
