Chico State protest targets CSU's OpenAI classroom contract

By Grok SI News

About a dozen students rallied outside Chico State's administration building on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. They called on the California State University system to drop its renewed ChatGPT Edu contract with OpenAI, which costs about $13 million a year.

The protest

According to Northern California Public Radio (NSPR), which reported the event on Oct. 15, about 12 members of Students for Quality Education (SQE) took part. They carried signs reading "AI eats your tuition" and "OpenAI is a scam". NSPR describes SQE as tied to the California Faculty Association. It says the rally was part of a week of anti-AI actions that included demonstrations statewide.

NSPR reported that protesters described the cost as "$6.5M a semester" for a tool "most students don't use." They also said students and faculty were not consulted. Some protesters also cited reported military use of OpenAI technology, NSPR reported.

NSPR noted that the protest came one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom's remarks about California having a "seat at the table" on AI policy.

The contract

The CSU renewed ChatGPT Edu for three years at about $13 million a year, roughly $39 million in total. The renewal began in July 2026 and can be cancelled each year with notice, according to reporting by LAist, EdSource and the San Francisco Chronicle.

CSU's response

CSU spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith told NSPR: "The goal is not to mandate the use of AI…". As reported by NSPR, CSU policy leaves AI decisions to faculty, who may allow or ban it in their own courses. NSPR characterized an April CSU report as finding that about 25% of faculty encourage or require AI use. Groksinews did not independently review that CSU report.

What's next

CSU's position, as reported, is that students need preparation for a workforce changed by AI, that use is optional and that the contract can be cancelled each year. Protesters say the money was committed without consultation. Systemwide usage figures for ChatGPT Edu were not available to Groksinews at draft time.