OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research organization, is exploring ways to integrate custom chatbots into online learning platforms, allowing educators to create personalized learning experiences for their students. This vision was shared by Siya Raj Purohit, a member of OpenAI's go-to-market team for education, during a fireside chat hosted by Coeus Collective.

Purohit envisions a future where professors can create custom "GPTs" (Generative Pre-trained Transformers) that tie into online curriculums, enabling students to engage with course content in a more interactive and lifelong manner. While this is not part of OpenAI's current work, Purohit confirmed that it is on the company's roadmap.

OpenAI has already seen professors uploading a "semester's worth" of content to create custom GPTs using the company's existing tools, which are then made available to students. Purohit believes this approach can be a powerful way to facilitate research and learning.

OpenAI's push into the education market is a strategic move, as the company sees this sector as a key area of growth. In September, OpenAI hired Leah Belsky, former chief revenue officer at Coursera, as its first education general manager, tasked with bringing OpenAI's products to more schools. The company also launched ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT designed for universities, earlier this year.

The AI in education market is expected to reach $88.2 billion within the next decade, according to Allied Market Research. However, growth in this sector has been slow, largely due to skepticism from educators.

One example of custom GPTs in action is Khanmigo, a chatbot launched by Khan Academy in collaboration with OpenAI last year. Khanmigo provides students with guidance on homework assignments, test prep, and more, tightly integrating with Khan Academy's educational content library. However, the chatbot has been shown to make mistakes, such as struggling with basic math and failing to correct errors when asked to double-check solutions.

Purohit acknowledged the limitations of current AI technology but expressed confidence that the tech is improving. "All of our models keep getting better, and our goal is to help translate that into what works in learning and teaching," she said.

Despite OpenAI's efforts, many educators remain skeptical about the effectiveness of AI in education. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that a quarter of public K-12 teachers believe that using AI tools in education does more harm than good. A separate poll by the Rand Corporation and the Center on Reinventing Public Education found that only 18% of K-12 educators are currently applying AI in their classrooms.

As OpenAI continues to develop its custom chatbot vision for online learning, it will need to address the concerns and skepticism of educators, who are crucial to the successful adoption of AI technology in education.