OpenAI opens new ChatGPT for Academic Researchers program to 100,000 scientists

OpenAI Group PBC today launched a program that will give 100,000 researchers free access to ChatGPT's advanced features, the company announced. ChatGPT for Academic Researchers is part of a $250 million OpenAI initiative designed to support scientific projects. Scientists can apply via a form on OpenAI's website. Initially, the program will be open to 10,000 users at a limited number of universities, with plans to onboard 90,000 more researchers over time. A scientist who is invited can onboard four colleagues from the same academic institution. According to the company, participants will receive access to a version of ChatGPT with higher usage limits and larger context windows. OpenAI also plans to provide an expanded edition of the chatbot service's deep research feature, which debuted last February and can collect information from hundreds of websites. The version offered through the program includes the company's flagship GPT-5.6 Sol algorithm, specifically GPT-5.6 Sol Pro optimized for difficult queries and long-running tasks. The program also includes Codex and ChatGPT Work, a productivity feature that can automate sequences of complex tasks. OpenAI will provide training on how to apply ChatGPT to complex research tasks, and company employees will help scientists integrate the service with their other scientific applications.