By Alex Smith |
Malta has partnered with Microsoft and OpenAI to introduce a national AI education programme with free access to AI tools, offering citizens who complete its new online course a one-year subscription to either ChatGPT Plus or Microsoft 365 Personal Copilot.
The programme, called ‘AI for Everyone’, was developed by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority in partnership with the University of Malta. The self-paced course takes approximately two hours to complete, is available in both Maltese and English, requires no prior technical knowledge, and is free to all residents aged 14 and over.
“By pairing this education with free access to advanced digital tools, we are transforming a concept that may not be very familiar into a practical, everyday aid for our families, students, and workers,” said Silvio Schembri, Malta’s minister for the economy, enterprise and strategic projects.
The OpenAI and Microsoft partnerships were secured following diplomatic outreach by Maltese officials. Microsoft's involvement builds on an existing relationship with the Maltese government, which last year rolled out Microsoft Copilot across the public service, supported by training and a dedicated Centre of Excellence.
“In the AI economy, the most important infrastructure is not just data centres – it is human capability,” said Tilemachos Moraitis, government affairs director for Microsoft Greece, Cyprus, Malta and the Adriatics. “Today, Malta is investing in that capability at national scale.”
The programme sits within a broader national strategy backed by a €100 million ($116 million) budget commitment to digitalisation, and forms part of Malta's ongoing push toward its Malta Vision 2050 goals, an initiative to improve quality of life for its citizens.
“We do not want anyone to be left behind,” said Ian Borg, deputy prime minister of Malta. “We want everyone to benefit from the potential of technology for a better life.”