Even Oxford Embraces ChatGPT... Korean Universities Lag Behind in AI [University Transformation](16)

Full Access Granted to All Students and Staff
AI-Powered Learning and Lectures Become Essential for Competitiveness
Korean Universities Still Debating Full-Scale Adoption
A Critical Time for Government-Led Preemptive Investment

Oxford University has become the first institution in the UK to grant full access to generative artificial intelligence (AI) ChatGPT to all students and staff. Oxford students will use 'ChatGPT Edu,' a version of ChatGPT developed by OpenAI specifically for educational purposes. In March, Oxford University entered into a partnership with OpenAI and began a pilot program. ChatGPT Edu is university-exclusive software that offers enhanced privacy and security services, allowing the university to store its own data. Students will also receive training on how to use ChatGPT Edu and other generative AI tools. Ann Trefethen, Oxford University's Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Digital, said in an interview with local media, "This is an exciting step in our ongoing digital transformation," adding, "If used well, it can accelerate curiosity-driven research and innovation and lead to groundbreaking achievements in solving major global challenges."

The use of AI in learning, lectures, and other activities has become essential for enhancing university competitiveness. This is why leading universities around the world are actively adopting AI technologies.

The above photo is not directly related to the article. Pixabay

According to UNESCO on October 1, two-thirds of higher education institutions in UNESCO member countries have either established or are developing guidelines for AI usage. This survey collected 400 responses from higher education institutions in 90 countries, all part of UNITWIN (the UNESCO University Network).

Among respondents, 90% reported using AI tools for professional work, particularly in research and writing tasks. Nearly half indicated they are experimenting with AI in educational fields such as lesson planning, grading support, and plagiarism detection, as well as for administrative or professional development purposes. Investment in AI research was also found to be active. Half of the respondents were aware of institutional spending on AI tools, and two-thirds stated that such investments are primarily focused on research.

However, despite the high usage rates, trust in AI remains uneven. More than half expressed uncertainty or hesitation about the effective application of AI in education and research. Respondents who said they rarely use AI cited reasons such as ethical and environmental concerns, lack of accessibility, academic limitations, and philosophical resistance. One in four respondents reported that their institution had already experienced ethical issues related to AI, including excessive student reliance on AI, authorship disputes, and research bias.

◇Korean Universities in the Early Stages of AI Adoption= Most Korean universities agree on the need to utilize AI. However, the actual implementation of AI in research or classes is still under discussion. Significant differences based on university size and region remain challenges to be addressed.

According to a recent survey by the Korean Council for University Education of university presidents at four-year institutions nationwide (148 out of 192 responded), 94.9% of large universities reported taking measures for innovation by utilizing AI in teaching and learning methods, operations and policy evaluation, and student admissions. However, in most cases, this meant offering related courses or using AI for handling student complaints rather than actively leveraging AI. The same survey found that the most common use of AI was in offering AI-related courses and chatbots (48.0%). Research and data analysis, personalized learning and teaching method development, and learning management systems accounted for only 37.8%.

There were also 28 universities (18.9%) that reported not using AI at all. The primary reason cited for insufficient adoption was "lack of financial resources and investment capacity" (79.5%), followed by "shortage of relevant personnel" (64.1%). Smaller universities were less likely to be adopting AI: over 90% of large universities said they were responding to AI, compared to 77.1% of medium-sized universities and only 57.4% of small universities. Regionally, universities in the Seoul metropolitan area (80.8%) and major cities (85.2%) reported higher adoption rates, while universities in provincial areas lagged behind at 63.8%.

Universities emphasized the need for government-led investment to reduce disparities among institutions and remain competitive with overseas universities. They argue that this would enable universities to independently increase AI utilization in research and teaching, and further facilitate direct collaboration with businesses.

Kim Heun, a researcher at the University Innovation Support Office of the Korean Council for University Education, said, "Universities around the world are undergoing tremendous changes due to AI adoption," adding, "With the recent establishment of the Office of the Presidential Secretary for Future AI Planning, if universities do not nurture talent, there may be a long-term shortage of people to work in companies, so investment in universities is also necessary."