State as a Testbed: OpenAI Gives Free ChatGPT Plus to All Citizens of Malta

The strategy of ecosystem vendor lock-in is moving to a national level. On May 16, 2026, OpenAI and the government of Malta announced an unprecedented program: every citizen of the country will receive free annual access to ChatGPT Plus and an AI literacy course.

This is the first B2G (Business-to-Government) deal of this magnitude in history for generative AI. OpenAI’s logic is flawless: the company is turning an entire sovereign European state into a perfect sandbox to test the penetration of algorithms into daily life, from government services to small businesses. Following its expansion into universities (the Campus Network program from May 11), Sam Altman’s corporation is betting on massive "AI indoctrination." Malta gets a technological leap, and OpenAI secures a monopoly on the digital habits of an entire nation for years to come.

Source: OpenAI / Reuters / Euronews