OpenAI reaches ChatGPT deal with Malta

OpenAI said on May 16 that it had signed a deal with Malta to give all Maltese citizens access to ChatGPT Plus for one year, after they complete a free AI literacy course. (openai.com) The arrangement is being presented by OpenAI as a “world’s first” national rollout of ChatGPT Plus. Under the plan, the service will be distributed through Malta’s “AI for All” program, with the Malta Digital Innovation Authority managing access in the first phase. OpenAI did not disclose the financial terms. (openai.com) The practical detail that matters is the gatekeeping mechanism. Access is not automatic on day one. OpenAI and Malta said people will first complete a free course developed by the University of Malta on what AI is, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it responsibly at home and at work. After that, citizens can receive ChatGPT Plus at no cost to them for one year. Euronews reported that residents registered with Malta’s online identity system can also apply, and Reuters reported the program will be open to Maltese citizens living abroad. (openai.com) That makes this less a simple subscription giveaway than a state-coordinated access program tied to training. Silvio Schembri, Malta’s minister for economy, enterprise and strategic projects, said the goal was to pair education with access to “the most advanced digital tools available today” so families, students and workers can use them in practical ways. George Osborne, OpenAI’s head of OpenAI for Countries, said governments have a role in making sure populations have both access to AI and the skills to use it. (openai.com) The Malta side did not come out of nowhere. A Maltese government statement from February said Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg had met with OpenAI in California and discussed the government’s commitment to making AI tools accessible while emphasizing training and responsible use. Malta also already had a national AI strategy in place before this deal; the Malta Digital Innovation Authority says the country launched one in 2019 and later realigned it around societal well-being and sustainability. (gov.mt) The comparison point is not that governments have never worked with AI companies before, but that this program is broader in who it targets. Euronews noted Anthropic announced a project in Iceland for teachers, while OpenAI previously partnered with Greece around secondary schools and startups. Malta’s program, by contrast, is framed as nationwide citizen access through a public program. (euronews.com) There are still important unknowns. OpenAI has not said how many people Malta expects to enroll, what the government is paying, or what usage limits or operational arrangements will apply beyond the standard ChatGPT Plus offer. OpenAI’s longstanding public pricing page lists ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month in the United States, which gives a rough benchmark for the consumer product being offered, but the Malta contract price was not made public. (openai.com) The next concrete milestone is in May, when the first phase is due to begin. OpenAI said the Malta Digital Innovation Authority will manage distribution to eligible participants, and the program will expand as more residents and citizens abroad complete the University of Malta course. (openai.com)