OpenAI and the Government of Malta have established an agreement to offer ChatGPT Plus to all citizens of the country. The initiative will offer one year of the tool at no cost upon completing a course to learn how to use artificial intelligence responsibly.
The objective of the initiative, called “AI for All”, aims to facilitate access to artificial intelligence and empower the Maltese through literacy and the development of practical skills to benefit from technology in their daily lives. The program is accessible to people from all walks of life and aims to empower citizens to use AI safely, ethically and effectively.
The free online course is taught together with the University of Malta
Thus, the free online course can be attended by any user, whether they are students, job seekers, artists or businessmen, as long as they are Maltese citizens and residents with an electronic ID. It is taught by the University of Malta and is managed in collaboration with the country’s Digital Innovation Authority.
The course is designed to help you understand what AI is, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it responsibly at home and at work. It is made up of three mandatory modules, which address the fundamentals of AI, its application in everyday life, and its use in learning; and five additional modules. These focus on AI for professionals, for job search, for entrepreneurship, for accessibility and independent living, and for education.
Users must complete the three mandatory modules and choose at least one additional module; and will receive a certificate from both parties, as well as a free subscription to the OpenAI chatbot. In this way, it is expected to help citizens detect unreliable or misleading AI results, protect their privacy and personal data, create and perform tasks more efficiently and make better decisions about when to use AI and when not to, as explained by the Maltese government.
“By combining this training with free access to the most advanced digital tools available today, we transform an unknown concept into practical help for our families, students and workers.“, commented Silvio Schembri, Minister of Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects of Malta, in a statement from OpenAI. “Malta is the first country to launch a collaboration of this magnitude because we refuse to let our citizens be left behind in the digital age. “We are placing our people at the forefront of global change”.
The company assures that with this initiative Malta becomes a European leader in the implementation of AI. “Artificial intelligence is becoming an essential public service, and all governments have a critical role to play in ensuring their populations have access to it and the skills to make the most of it.” commented George Osborne, Director of OpenAI for Countries. “This is precisely the kind of strategic initiative that will accelerate the adoption of AI and bring the benefits of this transformative technology to the economy and people’s daily lives.”.
OpenAI has not disclosed the financial details of the agreement. However, if the average 20 euros per month that the ChatGPT Plus subscription costs in Europe is taken as a reference, the amount of the collaboration could reach around 12 million for the more than 550,000 inhabitants of the country. However, the actual cost of OpenAI providing the service could be lower than the retail price.
The alliance between OpenAI and the Government of Malta is part of a broader trend of companies partnering with governments to ensure the adoption of artificial intelligence. Last year, Anthropic announced a project giving all teachers in Iceland access to Claude for lesson planning and teaching materials. In September 2025, OpenAI signed a collaboration agreement with the Greek government to bring its technology to high schools and startups.
