Overview
- The partnership, announced in May 2026, gives Maltese citizens a free year of ChatGPT Plus once they pass a University of Malta course on what AI can do, where it falls short, and how to use it responsibly.
- The Malta Digital Innovation Authority, created in 2018 to regulate blockchain, will run distribution and verify eligibility through the country’s online identity system.
- The first rollout begins in May and will scale as more residents finish the course, with access extended to Maltese citizens living abroad.
- Economy minister Silvio Schembri says the goal is to build digital skills for every citizen so people do not fall behind at work or in daily life.
- OpenAI’s George Osborne places the effort under the OpenAI for Countries program and says Malta could set a template for other governments pursuing nationwide AI access.