Krux
May 18, 2026
Malta Gives Every Citizen Free ChatGPT Plus for a Year
Published: May 18, 2026 at 12:12 AM
Updated: May 18, 2026 at 12:12 AM
100-word summary
OpenAI just cut a deal with Malta to give all 500,000 citizens free ChatGPT Plus subscriptions for a year. The catch? You have to pass an AI literacy course from the University of Malta first, covering what the tech can and can't do and how to use it responsibly. The program launches in May 2026 under Malta's "AI for All" initiative, with distribution managed by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority. OpenAI is framing this as part of a broader "OpenAI for Countries" push, tailoring AI rollouts to national priorities rather than selling the same package everywhere. It's a clever model: governments get to claim they're leading on digital skills, OpenAI...
What happened
OpenAI just cut a deal with Malta to give all 500,000 citizens free ChatGPT Plus subscriptions for a year. The catch? You have to pass an AI literacy course from the University of Malta first, covering what the tech can and can't do and how to use it responsibly. The program launches in May 2026 under Malta's "AI for All" initiative, with distribution managed by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority. OpenAI is framing this as part of a broader "OpenAI for Countries" push, tailoring AI rollouts to national priorities rather than selling the same package everywhere.
Why it matters
It's a clever model: governments get to claim they're leading on digital skills, OpenAI gets entire populations hooked on its premium product.