OpenAI and Anthropic are fighting for students’ attention with free AI tools

Anthropic

Two of the biggest names in artificial intelligence, OpenAI and Anthropic, are now competing to win over college students and they’ve both made their moves just in time for final exams.

Within a span of 24 hours, the companies launched new AI services aimed specifically at students. The whole idea is to get young people familiar with their tools before they graduate and take those habits into the working world.

On Wednesday, Anthropic introduced Claude for Education, a student-friendly version of its chatbot Claude. A standout feature is something called “learning mode,” which is built to help students think through problems instead of just giving them answers. Anthropic has already teamed up with schools like Northeastern University, Champlain College, and the London School of Economics. At Northeastern alone, 50,000 students, staff, and faculty across 13 campuses will get access to Claude.

They’re also launching a student ambassador program, where students can work with Anthropic to bring more AI-related projects and learning to their campuses.

Not to be left behind, OpenAI announced on Thursday that it’s offering U.S. and Canadian college students free access to ChatGPT Plus — the premium version of its chatbot — until May. That includes access to tools like voice mode, image generation, and a research feature designed to help with academic papers.

OpenAI says over a third of college-age adults in the US already use ChatGPT, with many turning to it for school-related help. The company says it wants to do more than just give students tools — it wants to help them really understand how to use AI well.

“Today’s college students face enormous pressure,” said Leah Belsky, OpenAI’s VP of Education. “We want to give them a space to experiment, learn, and ask their own questions.”

The new moves by both companies show just how important the student market has become.