Call for OpenAI project proposals opens Nov. 1

From Nov. 1-30, all UCLA students, faculty, staff and researchers are invited to submit proposals for projects that use OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise platform to improve efficiency and accelerate innovation in teaching, learning, research and operations at UCLA.

"We really want everyone to think about what will benefit UCLA and come with their best ideas," said Chris Mattmann, who joined UCLA in June as chief data and artificial intelligence officer. He is co-leading this effort with Veronica Garcia, UCLA's deputy chief information officer.

Proposals should demonstrate value and originality, ethical responsibility, a feasible implementation plan, business impacts, expected outcomes and success metrics, Mattmann said. The projects will also need to be executed using publicly available information (P1 classified) or institutional information and related IT resources not specifically protected by statute, regulations or other contractual obligations or mandates (P2 classified), he said.

This open call supports innovators with fresh ideas and those already leveraging OpenAI tools in their current projects, offering access to up to 10 OpenAI accounts per project.

Those interested in experimenting with OpenAI but not ready to submit a full proposal are encouraged to email [email protected] to discuss their ideas - and receive feedback and advice to improve their submission before the Nov. 30 deadline.

This initiative is part of UCLA's broader effort to integrate AI into various aspects of university life, positioning itself at the forefront of technological innovation in higher education.

In September, UCLA announced an agreement with OpenAI that made UCLA the first institution of higher learning in California to integrate ChatGPT Enterprise capabilities into its operations and charted the course for other University of California campuses to access the platform.