OpenAI expands ChatGPT access to 23 million US public-sector employees

OpenAI just turned its government experiment into a full-scale rollout. The company announced it will extend ChatGPT access to roughly 23 million US public-sector employees, covering federal, state, local, and tribal governments under a new pricing structure that takes effect October 1, 2026. The move replaces a $1-per-agency pilot program that launched in August 2025 through the US General Services Administration. That pilot gave 3.5 million federal employees access to ChatGPT Enterprise. OpenAI says the program generated $1.4 billion in cost savings. From pilot to permanent infrastructure The new model shifts to usage-based pricing with a 50% discount for federal agencies. That same discount extends to state, local, and tribal governments, a significant broadening of scope that takes OpenAI’s government footprint from a handful of federal departments to the entire public sector. The discount period will last more than two years, giving agencies a long runway to integrate AI tools into their workflows before facing full commercial pricing. Distribution will run through the GSA’s OneGov marketplace, a procurement platform that consolidates federal, state, and local AI purchasing. O...