Nearly $17 million was how much the California State University system paid for OpenAI’s artificial intelligence model geared for education, ChatGPT Edu. Now, the contract is being negotiated again, and Student’s for Quality Education called for students and staff alike to not renew the agreement.

The protestors brought up cost, environmental concerns and where OpenAI puts its money as reasons for the CSU not to renew the contract. This was just one of many protests happening Thursday throughout the CSU campuses.

As the campus community passed by Kendall Lawn from noon to 2 p.m. they probably would’ve heard, before seeing, the outcry of calls for the CSU to not renew the agreement. Megaphone in hand, several of the participants shouted into the crowd with statements, such as “you can still cheat for free.”

Gallery // 10 Photos

For those who didn't have a phone, they could sign a piece of paper to join an email list. James Saltis, a senior studying math, said he works in a middle school and wants to further move into that field. "I work with middle schoolers, and every day, after they don't understand something first attempt, they immediately ask for AI," he said. Saltis is worried about students ability to think critically when they over rely on these tools. Photo taken by Chris Hutton on April 23, 2026.

ChatGPT Edu arrived on campus in early April 2025. Since then, Chico State has taken the drivers seat with installing AI systems throughout campus, something Chancellor Mildred Garcia complimented President Steve Perez for in a recent Board of Trustees meeting.

A.S. Executive Vice President Beatrix Teaney said she was at the meeting when the Division of Information Technology presented on the new product.

She said DoIT staff said the university was setting a precedent by being one of the first campuses to use ChatGPT Edu. “I literally said ‘you guys are the stupidest CSU campus to do this. There’s a reason why you’re first,'” she said about the meeting.

Graduate student Adin White, a sitting member of the Academic Senate, agreed with Teaney. “I don’t think its good for what our campus claims to be, or for what the CSU claims to be,” he said.

For Ruby Kirkaldy, a freshmen in pre-nursing, she said students in her class use it all the time. “I just think going into healthcare and you’re taking a basic class like anatomy and you have to use a computer to do it for you, you should not be going into healthcare,” she said.

Kirkaldy also had concerns about how OpenAI was allowing its services to be used oversees and the environmental effects.

AI has been finding its way into all facets of the university, and it isn’t just SQE that’s been standing opposed. The California Faculty Association has been vocally speaking out against the product that was implemented throughout the CSU system.

The contract for ChatGPT is set to expire June 30.

Chris Hutton can be reached at [email protected]