OpenAI has revealed an unprecedented effort to make its ChatGPT Enterprise product available to U.S. federal agencies at a price of only $1 per head over the next 12 months. Announced on Wednesday, the effort will provide the entire federal executive branch with access to sophisticated AI technology at essentially no cost in an effort to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government processes.
The initiative is being launched in partnership with the U.S. General Services Administration and reflects OpenAI’s ongoing strategy to deepen its engagement with lawmakers and regulators. In a blog post, the company said that one of the best ways to bring the benefits of AI to everyone is to make government work better, faster, easier, and more reliable.
ChatGPT Enterprise will allow participating federal agencies access to OpenAI’s advanced models, access to enterprise-grade data protection, analytics capabilities, and expanded access to new features. It is also worth mentioning that OpenAI will offer the newly released Advanced Voice Mode to agencies to trial again, this time over a 60-day period.
This move follows OpenAI’s June announcement of a new division, OpenAI for Government, which secured a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense worth up to $200 million. These efforts reflect the company’s broader aim to position itself as a central player in the public sector’s adoption of artificial intelligence.
OpenAI is also making an appearance in Washington, D.C., opening its first office in the capital early next year. Being close to federal decision-makers means that the company is interested in influencing the regulation and use of AI in government.
On the corporate side, OpenAI is said to be in talks with investors to sell new stock, which could value the company at approximately 500 billion dollars. In March, it announced a mega $40 billion funding round at a valuation of $300 billion, another record by a privately owned tech firm.
By selling this $1 offering, OpenAIis not simply selling a product but marketing themselves as a revolutionary agent in the way the U.S. government accepts and uses AI technologies.