TL;DRMalta will give every citizen free ChatGPT Plus for a year after they complete a university-designed AI literacy course.
OpenAI has signed a deal with the government of Malta to provide all Maltese citizens and residents with free access to ChatGPT Plus for one year. There is one condition: they must first complete an AI literacy course developed by the University of Malta. It is the first partnership of its kind between OpenAI and a national government.
The programme, called “AI for All,” launched its first phase in May 2026. Citizens and residents registered with Malta’s online identity system can enrol in the free course, which covers what AI is, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it responsibly at home and at work. Upon completion, participants receive 12 months of ChatGPT Plus at no cost. The offer extends to Maltese citizens living abroad. The Malta Digital Innovation Authority is managing distribution to eligible participants, and the programme will scale as more people complete the course.
Malta has a population of approximately 540,000, making it the smallest EU member state. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. ChatGPT Plus currently costs $20 per month, meaning a full year of access for every Maltese resident would carry a nominal retail value of roughly $130 million if every resident enrolled, though OpenAI’s actual cost of provision is substantially lower than the retail price and the company is presumably offering a deeply discounted or subsidised rate. No independent confirmation from either party on the financial structure has been provided at the time of publication.
