Recent announcements around a landmark UAE-OpenAI partnership have sparked major excitement, with speculation that ChatGPT Plus may become free for UAE residents. However, as of now, no official confirmation has been issued by OpenAI or UAE authorities regarding free personal subscriptions.
So, where’s the buzz coming from?
The excitement stems from OpenAI’s recent announcement that the UAE will become the first country in the world to offer nationwide access to ChatGPT, with planned integration into key sectors like education, healthcare, energy and government services.
This is part of the much larger Stargate UAE project, which involves building the world’s largest AI data centre in Abu Dhabi. Developed in partnership with G42, along with tech giants Oracle, NVIDIA and Cisco, the 10-square-mile site is expected to go live by 2026, delivering significant AI computing power to the region.
While media headlines have suggested that every UAE resident may receive access to ChatGPT Plus, OpenAI’s official statement does not mention free personal subscriptions. Instead, the official announcement focusses on sector-wide integration and nationwide deployment , meaning ChatGPT will become more deeply embedded into everyday services. Whether it will be made free for UAE residents remains to be seen.
Currently, users in the UAE still have free access to ChatGPT’s GPT 3.5 model, while ChatGPT Plus, featuring GPT-4 and advanced tools, continues to be priced at USD 20 per month.