Yes, you read that right. While most of us are still figuring out monthly subscriptions, the UAE government just made ChatGPT Plus absolutely free for all its citizens. Not students. Not tech workers. Everyone.

That’s a game-changer not just for the UAE, but for the global conversation on AI access.

This isn’t just about giving away a $20/month tool for free. This is about vision. The kind that says, “Our people shouldn’t just consume the future. They should create it.”

And they’re backing it with action. The UAE is building a massive AI hub called Stargate in Abu Dhabi  partnering with OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, and Cisco. It’s not hype. It’s happening.

Imagine the impact: a student in Dubai now has the same creative tools as a startup founder in Silicon Valley. A small business owner in Sharjah can write emails, create ads, and strategize  all with help from GPT-4.

Now pause for a moment.

We’re in India. The land of coders, engineers, dreamers, and jugadu minds. We’ve built tech empires from scratch. So why don’t we have something like this? Why are AI tools still luxury items here, when they could be a right?

What the UAE did isn’t just smart. It’s bold, inclusive, and visionary. It’s what leadership looks like in the age of intelligence.

Reading this on Newsest, it hits home access to AI shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be public infrastructure.

The UAE just gave us a glimpse of what that future looks like.

Should India be next?