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Altman Audio Files Bay City Beat Listen In Marin Remember When Talkers Trailblazers Bay City News Labs Open dropdown menu About Bay City News Labs About Us Open dropdown menu About Our Staff About Our Board Bay City News Internships Frequently Asked Questions Newsletters Bay City News … in the News Sponsorships and Advertising Write for Local News Matters Our Policies at a Glance Why We’re Asking for Your Email (And Why It Matters) Open Search Search for: Search Posted in Education Matters CSU renews controversial OpenAI deal despite faculty criticism, budget cuts by Kate Rix, EdSource May 27, 2026 May 27, 2026 Share this: Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Students walk on campus at California State University, East Bay in Hayward, Calif. in an undated photo. (State University, East Bay via Bay City News) CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY officials have renewed their controversial contract with OpenAI — developer of ChatGPT — reigniting a fight over institutional priorities at a time when the system faces millions of dollars in budget cuts. A CSU spokesperson confirmed to EdSource on Wednesday that the university will pay $13 million a year for three years to provide systemwide access to its more than 470,000 students and 63,000 faculty and staff. The previous 18-month subscription cost $17 million and expires at the end of June. Continue reading for FREE This is NOT a paywall. We just want to make sure you’re a human. Sign in to read this story and receive the weekly roundup in your inbox. Continue with Google Or Continue Terms & Conditions Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to manage your account. 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