NEWS

ICU Selected as One of 15 Japanese Universities for OpenAI's Advanced AI Research Support Program "Accelerating Scientific Discovery with ChatGPT for Academic Researchers"

Update: October 28, 2026

ICU has been selected as one of 15 targeted universities in Japan for "Accelerating Scientific Discovery with ChatGPT for Academic Researchers," a research support program conducted by OpenAI for global researchers. Furthermore, an application submitted by multiple full-time natural science faculty members at ICU were accepted, providing them with free access to advanced AI tools, including the cutting-edge frontier model "GPT-5.6 Sol Pro."
This achievement highlights the international recognition of ICU's high standard of natural science research and its ambitious drive to explore frontier as a liberal arts university.

"ChatGPT for Academic Researchers" is a $250 million global initiative launched by OpenAI to promote academic and scientific advancement worldwide. Targeting higher education institutions engaged in advanced research around the globe, the program aims to accelerate research in cutting-edge fields by providing 100,000 scientists, mathematicians, and engineers with free access to OpenAI's frontier models and tools. ICU was selected as one of only 15 institutions designated in Japan.

Application for this program required meeting strict academic criteria, such as "having published a paper on major subject preprint servers (e.g., arXiv) within the past three years," with candidates carefully selected through a draw and eligibility screening. The faculty members from ICU's natural sciences fields (Information Science, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) who applied were successfully selected. Each selected researcher, along with their research team (up to four collaborators), can utilize frontier models such as "GPT-5.6 Sol Pro" and a secure, data-protected AI research environment for a period of 12 months. This support is expected to enhance the speed and quality of research in ICU's natural science fields, aiding complex data analysis, mathematical formula processing, paper writing support, and large-scale simulations.

While the rapid development of generative AI enables more efficient research, it also poses new challenges, such as the mass creation of unverified data/results and reduced clarity surrounding contributor attribution for research outcomes. ICU remains committed to using generative AI safely while prioritizing research integrity and ethics. The university will further foster a research environment where AI outputs are critically verified rather than blindly accepted, safeguarding intellectual property rights, academic freedom, and research quality.

Reference (in Japanese): https://openai.com/ja-JP/index/chatgpt-for-academic-researchers/