On Wednesday, Anthropic unveiled its new Claude for Education tier, a direct response to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Edu plan. This new tier is specifically designed for higher education institutions, providing students, faculty, and staff with access to Anthropic’s AI chatbot, Claude, along with some additional features.

A key component of Claude for Education is the “Learning Mode” feature, which is integrated into Claude Projects. This feature is designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills, rather than simply providing answers to their questions. When Learning Mode is enabled, Claude will pose questions to test understanding, highlight the fundamental principles underlying specific problems, and offer useful templates for research papers, outlines, and study guides.

The introduction of Claude for Education may contribute to an increase in Anthropic’s revenue. The company is reportedly generating $115 million in monthly revenue and aims to double this amount in 2025, while competing directly with OpenAI in the education sector. Historically, Anthropic has tended to match OpenAI’s offerings, and this launch is consistent with that trend.

According to Anthropic, Claude for Education includes the standard chat interface, as well as robust security and privacy controls. In a press release shared with TechCrunch prior to the launch, Anthropic stated that university administrators can utilize Claude to analyze enrollment trends and automate routine email responses to common inquiries. Meanwhile, students can leverage Claude for Education to support their studies, such as working through calculus problems with step-by-step guidance from the AI chatbot.

To facilitate the integration of Claude into university systems, Anthropic is partnering with Instructure, the company behind the popular education software platform Canvas. Additionally, Anthropic is collaborating with Internet2, a nonprofit organization that provides cloud solutions for colleges.

Anthropic has already secured “full campus agreements” with Northeastern University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Champlain College, making Claude for Education available to all students at these institutions. Northeastern is serving as a design partner, with Anthropic working closely with the university’s students, faculty, and staff to develop best practices for AI integration, AI-powered education tools, and frameworks.

Anthropic hopes to secure more contracts of this nature, in part through the implementation of new student ambassador and AI “builder” programs, in order to capitalize on the growing number of students utilizing AI in their studies. A survey conducted by the Digital Education Council in 2024 found that 54% of university students use generative AI on a weekly basis. By offering Claude for Education, Anthropic can increase familiarity with its tools among young people, while generating revenue from well-funded universities.

The potential impact of AI on education remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether AI is a desirable addition to the classroom. Research on the topic is mixed, with some studies suggesting that AI can be an effective tutor, while others indicate that it may hinder critical thinking skills.