OpenAI has recently introduced ChatGPT for Teachers, a dedicated service created specifically for educators. This new platform is designed to help teachers prepare lesson materials quickly, conveniently, and more efficiently. It also aims to ensure that students interact with educational content in a safe and controlled environment. According to its developers, the main purpose of the service is to save teachers’ time, support their creative and methodological work, and help them enrich their lessons with modern, high-quality resources.
The company has announced that ChatGPT for Teachers will be completely free to use until June 2027. What will happen after that period—whether the service will become paid or remain free—has not yet been clarified. OpenAI representatives have mentioned that they are currently gathering feedback from educators around the world in order to refine and improve the platform before deciding on its long-term pricing model. They emphasise that the service is in an active development phase, and user experience will play a key role in shaping its future.
The platform is primarily intended for school teachers, as they are the ones who often spend significant time preparing lesson plans, assignments, quizzes, and various instructional materials. For higher education institutions, OpenAI has developed a separate version called ChatGPT Edu. This version is tailored to the needs of university students and academic staff, supporting scientific research, independent study tasks, and complex theoretical topics. Both platforms share a common goal: to improve the quality of education and integrate artificial intelligence into the daily work of teachers and learners in a meaningful, practical way.
However, IT specialists and education experts warn that the widespread use of artificial intelligence may also bring certain risks. Some researchers argue that over-reliance on AI tools can weaken critical and analytical thinking skills. Studies have shown that frequent use of AI without proper balance may negatively affect cognitive processes such as creativity, problem-solving, and independent decision-making. Experts stress that while AI can be an effective support tool, it should not replace the intellectual efforts and professional judgement of educators.
Maintaining a healthy balance is therefore considered essential. AI can assist teachers by generating lesson outlines, creating topic-based questions and answers, producing tests, or suggesting additional learning resources. Yet the core components of teaching—pedagogical expertise, classroom management, personal communication with students, and the ability to evaluate learners’ needs—remain firmly within the domain of human educators. These aspects cannot be fully delegated to any technology, no matter how advanced it becomes.
In this context, ChatGPT for Teachers is seen as a valuable assistant rather than a replacement for teachers. When used responsibly, it can significantly ease the teaching workload and help educators focus more on meaningful classroom interaction. Like any innovative tool, its effectiveness depends on how wisely and moderately it is used. The goal is not to rely on AI blindly, but to integrate it thoughtfully into educational practice in a way that strengthens, rather than weakens, human thinking and teaching skills.