OpenAI has signed deals with fintech startups, tech giants and even Disney, but it’s breaking new ground by announcing a “world’s first partnership” with the country of Malta. In a post on its website, OpenAI said that it would provide ChatGPT Plus for one year to every Maltese resident or citizen.
“Malta is the first country to launch a partnership of this scale because we refuse to let our citizens stay behind in the digital age,” Silvio Schembri, Malta’s minister for Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, said in a statement. “We are putting our people at the very forefront of global change.”
For the approximately 574,250 residents living in Malta, they’ll have to complete a course developed by the University of Malta before launching the ChatGPT Plus subscription, which costs $20 a month in the US. The course teaches the basics of AI, but also how to use the technology responsibly, whether it’s at home or at work. Any interested Maltese residents will also need to have an active eID account from the European Union to claim the subscription. According to OpenAI, the first phase of the program will launch this month, with the Malta Digital Innovation Authority managing the distribution to eligible participants. OpenAI added that the program will scale up once more Maltese residents or its citizens abroad complete the course.
While OpenAI kicks off a new program in Malta, it’s putting a pause to its Stargate data center plans in the UK. The project was designed to assist the UK with building out AI infrastructure, but attributed high energy costs and regulatory issues with the latest stoppage.
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