UAE to become first country to offer free access to ChatGPT Plus for all residents

The United Arab Emirates has announced a major initiative that will give all residents of the country free access to the premium version of ChatGPT Plus.

This was reported by Axios.

The initiative is part of the global OpenAI for Countries project, which aims to create AI solutions adapted to the national context. The cooperation also includes the construction of a large Stargate UAE data center in Abu Dhabi. The first phase of the project will have a capacity of 200 megawatts and will be completed by 2025, with a total capacity of one gigawatt.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called the partnership with the UAE a "bold vision" that aims to make advanced AI technologies available worldwide - including in education, medicine and energy.

The project has been joined by tech giants Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, SoftBank and G42 (backed by Microsoft). They are working together to transform the UAE into the leading AI hub in the region.

OpenAI expects the UAE’s example to be an impetus for launching similar national programs in other countries.

As a reminder, US universities are increasingly returning to paper-based exams in response to the widespread use of artificial intelligence by students. This has led to a sharp increase in demand for traditional exam notebooks - notebooks with blank pages and typical blue covers, which have once again become a familiar attribute of classroom testing.