European country offers free ChatGPT Plus to all residents through new AI program

Malta has become the first country to partner with OpenAI to provide free access to ChatGPT Plus for its citizens and residents as part of a nationwide artificial intelligence literacy initiative.

Under the agreement announced by OpenAI and the Government of Malta, residents registered with the country’s online identity system will be able to receive one year of free access to ChatGPT Plus after completing a free online course called “AI for All”, developed by the University of Malta, News.Az reports, citing Euro News.

The first phase of the programme is expected to launch in May. Access to the subscriptions will be managed by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, which said the initiative will expand as more people complete the course.

Malta’s Minister for Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Silvio Schembri, said the programme aims to make advanced AI tools more practical and accessible for families, students and workers across the country.

OpenAI described the agreement as its first partnership of this kind with a national government. George Osborne, head of OpenAI for Countries, said Malta was showing how governments can help citizens benefit from the growing potential of artificial intelligence.

The partnership reflects a wider trend among governments exploring ways to improve AI literacy and integrate the technology into everyday life. Last year, Anthropic launched a programme in Iceland giving teachers access to its AI assistant Claude for educational support.

In September 2025, OpenAI also announced a partnership with the Greek government to introduce its technology into secondary schools and start-ups, while the UK government signed an agreement with Anthropic in February 2025 aimed at improving public access to online government services.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova