OpenAI and Greek Government launch ‘OpenAI for Greece’

Today we’re launching ‘OpenAI for Greece’—a new partnership between OpenAI, the Government of the Hellenic Republic, the Onassis Foundation, and Endeavor Greece to expand access to high-quality AI tools in secondary education and accelerate innovation across Greece’s start-up ecosystem.

AI is a foundational technology for countries with the potential to support learning, fuel innovation, and drive economic growth. In Greece, the number of weekly active ChatGPT users has increased seven-fold over the past year and the Government has already developed a national blueprint⁠(opens in a new window) to help the country seize the opportunity, spanning innovation and entrepreneurship, education and research, and AI integration into public sector services.

To help realise this vision, the ‘OpenAI for Greece’ Memorandum of Understanding was signed today at the Hellenic Expo by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and ministers of the Hellenic Republic, alongside Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation; Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI and Kevin Mills, Head of Education and Government GTM at OpenAI.

Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI, “From Plato’s Academy to Aristotle’s Lyceum—Greece is the historical birthplace of western education. Today, with millions of Greeks using ChatGPT on a regular basis, the country is once again showing its dedication to learning and ideas. Recognizing that nearly 60% of these users are under the age of 35, the Greek Government is opening a new educational chapter that prepares its people to seize the economic opportunities of the Intelligence Age. We are proud to stand alongside Greece as it pioneers how nations can bring AI into education for the next generation.”

Greece will be among the first countries to pioneer the use of ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT for academic institutions. Built for large-scale use in education, ChatGPT Edu offers access to OpenAI’s latest models and supports GDPR compliance with enterprise-grade security and controls.

Greece will launch a pilot this academic year, starting with teachers from upper-secondary schools selected to reflect regional and socio-economic diversity. The first phase focuses on building AI literacy, helping teachers boost productivity and integrate AI responsibly into their work.

The Onassis Foundation will lead implementation along with local partners—including The Tipping Point—coordinating teacher onboarding, and managing day-to-day delivery in collaboration with OpenAI and the Greek government. OpenAI will co-design teacher training, provide technical support, and share best practices for safe, effective classroom use.

A joint task force, including representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Education, and the Onassis Foundation, will oversee the pilot. Following successful outcomes, the program is expected to expand across Greece’s education system.

This deployment comes as OpenAI works to improve how ChatGPT supports learning, with features like study mode⁠(opens in a new window), in light of both the opportunities and the challenges of integrating AI into education. Students worldwide are already embracing the technology, and ChatGPT Edu is seeing early adoption at leading institutions, including Harvard University and Oxford University. 

Alongside the education initiative, we are launching the Greek AI Accelerator Program to support a new wave of local founders building with AI. The program will be launched tomorrow with an MOU signed by Takis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development; Panagiotis Karampinis, Managing Director of Endeavor Greece; and OpenAI. 

Greece has one of the highest percentages of STEM graduates in Europe, providing a strong educational foundation for AI skills and careers. Yet too often, this talent leaves to pursue opportunities abroad. Working with the Government, our goal is to create more opportunities right here in Greece.

Run in partnership with Endeavor Greece, the program will provide selected start-ups with access to:

The accelerator will prioritise start-ups developing AI solutions in sectors aligned with Greece’s national priorities—including education, public services, healthcare, and climate. It will also feature showcase events, such as at the Thessaloniki International Fair, and publish an impact report to guide future policy and investment.

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OpenAI for Greece is the latest deployment of our OpenAI for Countries initiative. It follows the recent launch of our infrastructure partnership Stargate Norway to deliver sovereign AI capacity powered by renewable energy, an MOU with the UK Government to accelerate AI adoption and explore ways to bolster the necessary infrastructure, and a partnership with the Government of Estonia⁠ to deploy ChatGPT across secondary schools.