Recent media reports have circulated claims suggesting that all residents of the UAE would receive free access to the paid version of the AI tool “ChatGPT Plus” following a significant partnership announcement between the UAE and OpenAI. However, these claims lack official confirmation and contradict the original details of the announcement.

Official Statement from OpenAI

According to OpenAI, the agreement with the UAE is centered on expanding access to AI tools but does not include provisions for free individual subscriptions to ChatGPT Plus, which continues to require a monthly fee of $20. The free version of ChatGPT (GPT-3.5) remains available to users in the UAE without any changes.

The Stargate UAE Project

The partnership is part of the "Stargate UAE" project, which aims to establish the world’s largest AI-focused data center in Abu Dhabi, spanning an area of 10 square miles. This ambitious initiative involves collaboration with global companies such as G42, Oracle, NVIDIA, and Cisco. The facility is expected to be operational by 2026 and will be powered by a combination of nuclear, solar, and gas energy, providing substantial computing power to the region.

Gradual Benefits of the Partnership

The benefits of the partnership are anticipated to unfold gradually, particularly through the integration of ChatGPT tools into government, education, and healthcare services. This will enable broader use of AI across the country, even without access to the paid version of ChatGPT Plus.

Media Misinterpretation

The confusion appears to have arisen from an overinterpretation by some media outlets of the official announcement, which primarily focused on enhancing AI infrastructure and capabilities rather than offering immediate free services to residents.

Conclusion

As the UAE continues to strengthen its AI capabilities through strategic partnerships, residents are encouraged to utilize the available free version of ChatGPT while remaining informed about the developments related to the Stargate UAE project. Official channels will provide updates on any future changes regarding access to AI tools.