West LA Times

UCLA is set to introduce OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise to its academic, administrative, and research communities. This initiative positions UCLA as the first university in California to incorporate this advanced AI technology into its operations. The agreement, supported by the UC Office of the President, also allows other UC campuses to access a UC-specific version of OpenAI’s interactive and natural language-based tool.

“We are thrilled to bring this resource to our university and eager to see how Bruins will leverage this tool to foster innovation and drive efficiencies in diverse applications in the coming months and years,” said Lucy Avetisyan, UCLA’s associate vice chancellor and chief information officer.

Avetisyan has been leading efforts to integrate AI technology at UCLA and guiding the implementation of the campus’s Digital Campus Roadmap. This roadmap aims to strengthen campus technology foundations and support UCLA’s five-year strategic plan.

Access to ChatGPT Enterprise will be granted to students, faculty, and staff involved in initiatives focused on teaching, learning, and research innovation. An open call for project ideas from the campus community will be issued later this year. Key areas of interest include enhancing student success, amplifying research efforts, and boosting institutional effectiveness. Submission details will be shared with the UCLA community this fall.

“We look forward to working closely with UCLA to find the best ways for ChatGPT to support a rich learning experience and cutting-edge research,” said OpenAI’s chief operating officer Brad Lightcap.

Chris Mattmann, UCLA’s newly appointed chief data and artificial intelligence officer, emphasized that AI technology is being evaluated for its potential benefits and challenges across various fields. He noted that AI could be used for scheduling appointments, maintaining calendars, creating customizable learning experiences, generating practice quizzes, tests, lecture notes, and assisting in research and data analysis.

Many members of the UCLA community are already embracing AI in innovative ways. Deanna Needell, a mathematics professor and executive director of the UCLA Institute for Digital Research and Education, has used AI to teach numerical linear algebra by having it write code for algorithm analysis in class.

“AI has drastically changed the world and will continue to do so,” said Needell. “As educators, we need to make sure our students have the best chance of helping this change be a positive one.”