In a groundbreaking move, residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will soon enjoy free access to ChatGPT Plus, making the UAE the first nation globally to extend this premium AI tool to its entire population. This initiative stems from a significant partnership between OpenAI and the UAE government.
As part of this collaboration, a major AI data infrastructure named Stargate UAE is being established in Abu Dhabi. This high-capacity data center will host a one-gigawatt AI supercomputing cluster, with the initial 200-megawatt phase expected to go live next year.
According to a source, Stargate UAE is an integral element of OpenAI’s “OpenAI for Countries” programme. This initiative aims to help nations develop and integrate their own AI tools in cooperation with the United States.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised the project, calling it “a bold vision” and emphasizing its potential to bring the advantages of AI to more parts of the world, including improved healthcare, modern education, and cleaner energy.
This strategic endeavor also includes participation from major tech leaders such as Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, SoftBank, and G42—a regional AI firm backed by Microsoft. Together, they are working to establish the UAE as a leading AI innovation hub in the Middle East.
Among the most noteworthy outcomes of this initiative is universal access to ChatGPT Plus for all UAE residents. This upgraded version of ChatGPT provides access to OpenAI’s most advanced AI models, enabling users to get support with writing, education, coding, research, and productivity, all at no cost.
The effort goes beyond just infrastructure. Through the OpenAI for Countries programme, OpenAI aims to localize AI tools to meet cultural, linguistic, and regulatory needs of individual countries. This approach also promotes data privacy, responsible usage, and ethical deployment of AI technologies.
Additionally, as part of this agreement, the UAE has committed to matching its domestic AI investments with an equal contribution to AI development projects in the U.S., with total investments possibly reaching $20 billion, according to Axios.
Looking forward, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon is set to visit several countries in the Asia Pacific region to discuss similar nation-level collaborations. OpenAI has stated that it envisions the UAE as the first of many such partnerships designed to empower countries to build sovereign AI ecosystems.
The UAE’s bold initiative to provide free ChatGPT Plus access to all residents reflects a transformative step in making artificial intelligence more inclusive and accessible.
By partnering with OpenAI and leading tech firms such as Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and Microsoft-backed G42, the country is not only strengthening its position as a regional AI powerhouse, but also aligning itself with the future of global innovation. The development of the Stargate UAE AI supercomputing cluster and the commitment to match AI investments in the US—totaling up to $20 billion—underscore the UAE’s ambition to be a global leader in AI development.
This strategic alignment will allow residents to benefit from advanced AI tools in education, healthcare, sustainability, and productivity, while also ensuring that the technology remains safe, localized, and ethically governed.
As OpenAI expands its "OpenAI for Countries" program, the UAE model may inspire other nations to follow suit in adopting responsible, citizen-focused AI.