Every Maltese resident and citizen stands to receive a year of free ChatGPT Plus under a new agreement between OpenAI and the Maltese government — but only after completing an AI literacy course put together by the University of Malta.
The deal, described as a first between OpenAI and a national government, covers all Maltese citizens and residents abroad
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Every Maltese resident and citizen stands to receive a year of free ChatGPT Plus under a new agreement between OpenAI and the Maltese government — but only after completing an AI literacy course put together by the University of Malta.
The initiative goes by the name "AI for All" and entered its first phase in May. Enrollment requires a valid eID account under the European Union's digital identity framework. Finishing the course — a free introduction to what AI is and how it can be applied at home and in professional settings — unlocks a full year of ChatGPT Plus, a subscription that runs $20 per month for U.S. users who pay out of pocket. Maltese nationals who live outside the country are also eligible. According to OpenAI, the Malta Digital Innovation Authority has been put in charge of getting access to qualifying participants.
OpenAI says no country has attempted anything like this before. Malta's population stands at roughly 574,250, and neither side has revealed what the arrangement cost.
"We are turning an unfamiliar concept into practical assistance for our families, students, and workers," Silvio Schembri, Malta's minister for Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, said in a statement.
According to The Next Web, George Osborne, who leads OpenAI for Countries, used the phrase "a national utility" to characterize the role of intelligence and expressed a desire to see other nations adopt similar programs.
Broader rollout is tied to participation rates — the more residents who finish the course, the wider the access becomes, OpenAI said.
The Malta deal fits a pattern of OpenAI pursuing partnerships with national governments. A September 2025 agreement with Greece, aimed at introducing OpenAI tools into secondary education and the startup sector, was among the earlier examples of this approach, The Next Web reported. The island nation has cultivated a reputation for moving ahead of other countries on technology policy — it built early rules around blockchain and digital assets and stood up the Malta Digital Innovation Authority specifically to govern new and emerging technologies.
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