UAE Explores Free ChatGPT Plus Access For Residents

Negotiations are currently under way between the UAE and OpenAI that could potentially make the company’s ChatGPT Plus artificial intelligence chatbot available to all residents free of charge, although a final deal has not yet been reached.

Stargate UAE: Powering AI Ambitions

An agreement involving ChatGPT Plus would be part of the recently announced Stargate UAE infrastructure plan aimed at creating an AI hub in Abu Dhabi, according to a source familiar with the country’s AI strategy.

Abu Dhabi’s AI company G42 has partnered with OpenAI, Oracle, and Nvidia to establish Stargate UAE. This initiative involves a 1-gigawatt computing cluster that will operate in the newly established 5GW UAE – US AI Campus.

The establishment of the 5GW campus followed months of intense negotiations involving US technology companies and UAE officials. These discussions aimed to ensure the Emirates has an adequate supply of chips and graphics processing units (GPUs) to support its ambitious AI aspirations.

Potential Impact and OpenAI's Stance

If a deal guaranteeing access to ChatGPT Plus for UAE residents comes to fruition, it would be an unprecedented move in the relatively young AI sector. Such an agreement could provide more than 10 million people in the country with the ability to use one of the world’s most powerful AI services.

When contacted by The National, OpenAI declined to comment on the prospect of the service being made freely available in the Emirates.

Understanding ChatGPT Plus

Typically available for $20 per month, the ChatGPT Plus subscription plan provides what OpenAI describes as “enhanced access.” Unlike the free version of ChatGPT, the subscription service offers priority access during peak usage times, allows for large file uploads for analysis, includes wider image generation features, provides access to OpenAI’s Deep Research tools, and features expanded voice capabilities.

However, ChatGPT Plus is not the highest-tier service offered by OpenAI. The company also offers OpenAI Pro, available to customers for $200 a month, as well as enterprise plans.

The AI Boom and OpenAI's Journey

Although AI research dates back to the 1960s, recent advancements in computer-processing power, combined with impactful AI solutions like ChatGPT in 2022, have led to an explosion of interest, investment, and start-ups in the field.

In March, OpenAI's introduction of a new image-generating feature generated so much interest in ChatGPT that its GPUs reportedly started melting due to demand.

“The ChatGPT launch 26 months ago was one of the craziest viral moments I'd ever seen, and we added one million users in five days,” OpenAI chief executive and founder Sam Altman wrote at the time. “We added one million users in the last hour.”

Last week, Mr. Altman announced that former Apple design master Jony Ive, who played a leading role in creating the iMac, iPod, and iPhone, will be merging his company io with OpenAI.

UAE's Vision for an AI-Driven Future

The UAE is actively aiming to become a front-runner in the AI industry as it diversifies its economy away from oil. These efforts have resulted in the establishment of numerous start-ups and strategic partnerships, as well as significant investments from industry leaders.

In April, Abu Dhabi's G42 received a $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft, a move that will help strengthen the UAE's position as a global technology hub.

In 2019, the country announced the foundation of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the world’s first dedicated AI institution of higher learning.

In recent years, UAE-based companies and institutions have also created several large language models, which are considered the backbone of AI implementations.