OpenAI is rolling out a brand-new “Study Mode” in ChatGPT designed not just to hand you answers on a silver platter, but to guide you through the learning process step by step. If you’ve ever felt guilty about relying on AI-generated responses for homework or craved a more interactive way to study, buckle up—this feature might be the tutor you never knew you needed. According to OpenAI, Study Mode helps users “work through problems step by step instead of just getting an answer,” and is available starting today for Free, Plus, Pro, and Team ChatGPT accounts, with ChatGPT Edu support landing in the next few weeks.

Rather than simply delivering the final result, Study Mode weaves together a mix of Socratic questioning, targeted hints, and self-reflection prompts. Imagine asking, “How do I solve this algebraic equation?” and instead of posting the answer outright, ChatGPT might reply with, “What’s the first step you’d take to isolate the variable?” or “Have you considered how factoring could simplify this expression?” This approach nudges you to think through each layer of the problem yourself, cultivating deeper understanding over rote memorization.

One of the standout promises of Study Mode is personalization. Before diving into a lesson, ChatGPT can assess your skill level by asking a few diagnostic questions—think of it as a mini quiz to gauge where you stand. From there, it organizes responses into clear, logical sections that highlight connections between concepts. Even better, it remembers what you covered in previous chats, so subsequent lessons can pick up right where you left off rather than starting from square one.

Study Mode doesn’t stop at guided prompts—it can formally quiz you, too. After working through material, ChatGPT might present a short quiz or flashcard-style questions to test retention. This built-in assessment pushes you to retrieve information from memory, a proven method for reinforcing learning. And since everything happens in a single chat thread, you get immediate feedback and can revisit your mistakes on the spot.

OpenAI didn’t cobble this together overnight. The company partnered with teachers, scientists, and pedagogy experts to craft “custom system instructions” that power Study Mode. These instructions determine how the model paces lessons, frames hints, and triggers self-reflection questions. Importantly, OpenAI chose this custom-instruction route to allow rapid iteration: real student feedback can be funneled straight into improving the experience, even if that means occasional inconsistencies or slip-ups in conversation flow.

OpenAI has ambitious plans for Study Mode’s evolution. On the roadmap are richer visualizations—think interactive graphs and diagrams—alongside cross-conversation goal tracking so you can set, monitor, and achieve learning objectives over days or weeks. The company also hints at deeper personalization features, like adapting lesson styles to individual learning preferences and integrating peer-study elements.