U.S. Federal Government Strikes $1 AI Deal with OpenAI to Expand ChatGPT Access – Unite.AI
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The U.S. federal government has signed a first-of-its-kind agreement with OpenAI to provide ChatGPT Enterprise access to all federal agencies for just $1 per agency, marking a major step in Washington’s push to integrate artificial intelligence across public services.
The partnership, led by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) through its OneGov initiative, aims to accelerate government-wide adoption of generative AI while reducing costs and improving efficiency. It also directly supports the White House’s America’s AI Action Plan, which outlines the federal government’s strategy for expanding the use of AI across departments.
Under the terms of the agreement, OpenAI will offer ChatGPT Enterprise—its secure, business-grade AI assistant—to every federal agency for a one-time fee of just $1 for one year. Agencies will also receive an additional 60 days of unlimited access to OpenAI’s most advanced models.
In addition to access, OpenAI is providing a suite of educational tools, including training modules tailored to government workflows, partner-led learning sessions, and a dedicated community for federal users. The company emphasized that no data inputted by government users will be used to train its models, and all deployments will comply with federal security and privacy standards.
GSA Acting Administrator Michael Rigas called the move part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to solidify the U.S. as a global AI leader. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman added, “One of the best ways to make sure AI works for everyone is to put it in the hands of the people serving our country.”
The deal supports federal guidelines for responsible AI use, including Office of Management and Budget Memoranda M-25-21 and M-25-22, which urge agencies to adopt secure, efficient, and transparent AI technologies to better serve the American public.
The federal government’s $1-per-agency deal with OpenAI stands out for its scale and affordability. Around the world, other governments are also partnering with OpenAI—but with different models and objectives:
Estonia:
Estonia is integrating ChatGPT into its national secondary school curriculum, giving students and teachers access to a customized ChatGPT Edu platform. The program includes tools for tutoring, lesson planning, and AI-assisted learning, positioning Estonia as a global leader in AI-driven education.
California State University (U.S.):
CSU has deployed ChatGPT Edu across 23 campuses, covering more than 460,000 students and 63,000 staff. It is currently the largest education-focused implementation of ChatGPT in the world, designed to improve learning outcomes and reduce administrative workload.
U.S. Department of Defense:
The Pentagon has awarded a $200 million contract to OpenAI and other tech firms to explore AI applications for national security. While separate from the GSA deal, it reflects growing interest in generative AI across military and defense sectors.
These partnerships highlight the growing global trend of bringing AI into public infrastructure—from national education systems to citizen services. The U.S. government’s symbolic $1 deal is unique in that it provides enterprise-level AI access at minimal cost, removing traditional procurement barriers and allowing every federal agency to participate.
The coming year will serve as a testing ground for how effectively ChatGPT can support federal workflows—from drafting documents to responding to public inquiries. If successful, the program could expand and serve as a model for future government-wide AI deployments.
GSA has already listed other models, such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, for agency use. But the OpenAI partnership is the most visible and accessible so far, giving public servants across departments the opportunity to engage directly with advanced generative AI tools.
The full announcement is available on GSA.gov, as the federal government begins what could be a transformative chapter in the use of AI for public service.
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Antoine is a visionary leader and founding partner of Unite.AI, driven by an unwavering passion for shaping and promoting the future of AI and robotics. A serial entrepreneur, he believes that AI will be as disruptive to society as electricity, and is often caught raving about the potential of disruptive technologies and AGI.
As a futurist, he is dedicated to exploring how these innovations will shape our world. In addition, he is the founder of Securities.io, a platform focused on investing in cutting-edge technologies that are redefining the future and reshaping entire sectors.
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