Social media users have been swept up by reports about free ChatGPT Plus access for all UAE residents although the actual situation differs. OpenAI launched its “OpenAI for Countries” initiative to announce a historic partnership with the UAE which generated widespread excitement about countrywide access to advanced AI tools. OpenAI has not provided any official confirmation about free ChatGPT Plus subscriptions for all UAE residents despite widespread social media rumors.
The agreement includes the upcoming Stargate UAE cluster in Abu Dhabi for 2026 operation and deep technological collaboration between OpenAI and Oracle, Nvidia, SoftBank, Cisco and G42 of the UAE. The UAE will use OpenAI technology across education and healthcare and transportation sectors but this does not translate to free ChatGPT Plus subscriptions for individual UAE residents.
The basic GPT-3.5 version of ChatGPT is available for free use in the UAE but ChatGPT Plus requires a $20 monthly subscription. OpenAI stated that the term “nationwide access” refers to service-wide implementation rather than free personal feature upgrades. OpenAI plans to launch a roadshow to study Asian Pacific market opportunities as part of its worldwide business expansion.
