OpenAI to give 100,000 researchers free AI access

This initiative builds on OpenAI's existing academic programs, such as NextGenAI, a $50 million effort, and its work with the Department of Energy's Genesis Mission. The company is committing more than $250 million through 2027 to support external scientific research and discovery, in line with its stated belief that progress accelerates when more researchers have powerful tools.

The program responds to clear demand: roughly 1.3 million people use ChatGPT for advanced science and mathematics each week, generating about 8.4 million messages. In mathematics specifically, AI use has shifted from occasional problem-solving to a regular part of research, with more papers acknowledging ChatGPT's contribution. The move also follows evidence that heavy users take on more ambitious tasks—those in the top 20% of AI usage are almost twice as likely to ask for work estimated to take four hours or more.

The success of the program likely hinges on whether the initial cohort can demonstrate concrete research gains, especially given the lottery-based selection and the waitlist for new applicants. The company will need to balance expanding access with ensuring participants get adequate training and support. How researchers use these tools—and their feedback on where the models fall short—will likely shape future iterations.