OpenAI comes to Greek secondary education and start-ups to prepare for ‘Intelligence Age’

Greece, the country which is the historical birthplace of Western education, is partnering with the artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI to bring the technology to secondary schools and the country’s start-ups. 

The ChatGPT maker said that Greece will be among the first countries to use its chatbot tailored to academic institutions. 

Called ChatGPT Edu, it gives access to OpenAI’s latest models and supports GDPR compliance, OpenAI said in a press release, adding that the firm would share best practices for safe, effective classroom use.

The move comes as countries have begun or are planning to implement AI in classrooms. Over the summer, Estonia began training its teachers in AI use. 

“From Plato’s Academy to Aristotle’s Lyceum—Greece is the historical birthplace of Western education. Today, with millions of Greeks using ChatGPT on a regular basis, the country is once again showing its dedication to learning and ideas,” Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenA said in a statement.

“The Greek Government is opening a new educational chapter that prepares its people to seize the economic opportunities of the Intelligence Age”.

OpenAI said that Greece will not implement the technology in schools yet. There will be a pilot this year with upper-secondary schools selected to reflect regional and socio-economic diversity. 

The first phase focuses on building AI literacy, helping teachers boost productivity and integrate AI responsibly into their work, OpenAI said in a statement. 

“Following successful outcomes, the programme is expected to expand across Greece’s education system,” it added. 

But one major issue that teachers have reported is students using AI to write their essays or do their homework for them, which can be difficult for teachers to identify. AI can also make things up and spew false information. 

The company has also come under hot water after a lawsuit was filed against the company and its CEO Sam Altman by the parents of a 16-year-old who committed suicide in April.

The parents alleged that ChatGPT created a psychological dependency that led to the teen’s suicide.

OpenAI announced this week that it would add new parental controls. 

Alongside the education plan, OpenAI said it will also launch on Saturday a ‘Greek AI Accelerator Program’ to support a new wave of local founders building with AI. 

OpenAI’s aim with the Greek government is to keep tech talent in Greece, as many leave to pursue opportunities abroad. 

The programme included mentorship from OpenAI engineers, tailored workshops on scaling, compliance, and safety, as well as a visit to OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco and connections to leading AI investors and innovators.