The UK government considered a grand educational and productivity-boosting initiative: a £2 billion plan to provide every citizen with ChatGPT Plus, a tool the UK’s own tech minister has called a “very good tutor.” This idea was part of a high-level discussion between Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and OpenAI founder Sam Altman.
The proposal can be seen as an attempt to radically scale up digital literacy and access to information across the country. By giving everyone a premium AI assistant, the government could have potentially provided a powerful tool for learning, problem-solving, and professional development to the entire population, from students to workers.
The logic behind such a move aligns with Minister Kyle’s public statements praising ChatGPT’s ability to help users understand complex topics. The national subscription idea takes this personal benefit and imagines it as a public good. However, the vision was ultimately curtailed by the immense public investment it would have required.
Although the universal “tutor” concept did not move forward, the ambition behind it has been channelled into other areas. The UK’s agreement with OpenAI to explore AI’s role in the education system is a more targeted continuation of this goal, aiming to bring the benefits of AI into classrooms in a more structured and affordable way.