OpenAI and CodeAI are announcing a signature partnership to prepare students for a world where AI is part of everyday life. The initiative pairs OpenAI‘s technology with CodeAI‘s education programs, and coincides with the launch of ChatGPT for Teens, a dedicated experience designed around learning, critical thinking, and responsible use. ChatGPT for Teens includes built-in protections such as features to promote healthy use and additional controls for parents, building on ChatGPT for Teachers and ongoing work with the American Federation of Teachers to build AI skills.

The partnership addresses a gap between AI use and AI understanding. The article cites that the vast majority of students are already using AI, while only 16% of high school leaders say all their students are learning the technical knowledge to understand it in the classroom. A survey by CodeAI shows that 75% of high school students believe understanding AI will be more important for their futures than it is now. OpenAI‘s stated goal is not simply to help more students use AI but to help them ask better questions, think critically about answers, and use these tools responsibly.

Over the next year, OpenAI and CodeAI will focus on practical programs. First, they will establish a joint advisory council with experts in child development, youth public policy, and learning science, providing ongoing guidance on emerging risks and helping shape future development of ChatGPT for Teens. Second, through the Hour of AI, they will introduce millions of students to the basics of thoughtful and responsible AI use. Third, the first-ever Builders Challenge will let high school students create with AI, receive mentorship from OpenAI team members, and showcase their work on a national stage alongside their teachers. Fourth, OpenAI experts in AI systems, safety, and responsible use will be available for CodeAI to consult as it continues developing AI Foundations, CodeAI‘s free, year-long high school course. Fifth, through Career Journeys, students will hear directly from OpenAI researchers, engineers, and leaders about how they work with and shape AI, helping students see themselves as future builders and creators.

Both organizations frame the initiative as a shared responsibility. Dr. Allison Mishkin, Head of Child Development at OpenAI, says parents and educators want young people to be ready for a future shaped by AI, and expect that readiness to come with care. She emphasizes helping students ask better questions and use tools responsibly. CodeAI CEO Karim Meghji says every student should know how AI actually works, be able to question it, catch its mistakes, and know when to stop trusting it. He adds that with that foundation, AI becomes something students can question, shape, and create on their own.

The article closes by stating that preparing young people is not something technology companies can do alone, and lists parents, educators, students, researchers, policymakers, and civil-society organizations as important participants. It also notes that AI should support, not replace, the guidance of teachers, families, and other trusted people in students’ lives. The intended outcome is that the next generation becomes both capable users of AI and thoughtful participants in shaping its future.