For all those who nearly dropped their chai reading the title, you’re not alone. This one’s got the whole internet buzzing. Over the past 24 hours, a flurry of headlines have suggested that every UAE resident might soon get free access to ChatGPT Plus. Yup, the fancy, turbocharged version of your favourite AI bestie. Completely FREE – no subscriptions, no AED 72 mysteriously deducted from your account at 2am.
Let’s unravel this lovely little tech rumour and see if there’s any ounce of truth behind the headlines – or if we all just got collectively clickbaited.
First, What’s ChatGPT Plus Again?
Think of ChatGPT Plus as the posh sibling of regular ChatGPT. It does everything better – faster replies, smarter answers, it remembers things, and it doesn’t have tantrums when you ask it a million questions in a row.
Here’s what you get with Plus:
- Access to GPT-4o, OpenAI’s most advanced model
- Faster responses, even when servers are busy
- Priority access during peak hours
- File uploads, voice commands, and advanced image generation
- Tools like Deep Research mode for deeper analysis
Usually, all this comes at a price – $20/month (around AED 72). But is that about to change for UAE residents? Let’s get into it without any further ado.
So, What Sparked The Buzz?
It all kicked off with a line in an official OpenAI blog post announcing the launch of Stargate UAE, a major AI infrastructure project in Abu Dhabi. The blog said: “The UAE will become the first country in the world to enable ChatGPT nationwide – giving people across the country the ability to access OpenAI’s technology.” While that line doesn’t explicitly mention FREE ChatGPT Plus, it sparked reports that the UAE could be offering the premium version to all residents at no cost.
But… Did OpenAI Confirm It?
But has Open AI confirmed it? Short answer: no. When contacted, OpenAI chose not to comment. But also – they didn’t flat deny it either. And that’s all it took for the internet to explode with theories. So now the rumour mill is churning like it’s on Red Bull.
What’s the Truth, Then?
To be fair, nothing has been made official yet. But – and here’s the hopeful bit – multiple reports are saying this is very much being talked about. Like, serious “negotiations” are underway. So it’s not just some random guy on X (Twitter) making it up.
The possible freebie, if it ever does happen, comes from a collaboration between OpenAI, G42 (an AI company in Abu Dhabi), and tech giants Oracle and NVIDIA. Together, they’re creating something called Stargate UAE, which sounds like a sci-fi series but is in fact a ginormous AI computing system. This is all happening at the newly launched UAE–US AI Campus, which is apparently going to house more brainpower than we can muster after two coffees and a nap.
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It’s basically the UAE saying: “We want to be an AI superpower and we’re dead serious about it” They’re building a 1-gigawatt AI cluster which will help run all these advanced systems. It is touted to be powerful enough to support half the planet. HALF. I mean, steady on lads.
If the deal goes through, it could make the UAE the first country to offer premium AI access – nationwide – at no cost to its residents.
But until there’s a formal announcement, it’s best to keep expectations in check! And, stay tuned – because if and when this drops, you’ll hear it first right here on GulfBuzz, fresh from the tech pan, straight to your plate.
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