OpenAI Offers ChatGPT Plus to 20,000 Former U.S. Veterans

OpenAI claims to have provided a year of ChatGPT Plus to over 20,000 transitioning service members and veterans in the United States. Beyond access, the company has ramped up training and workshops, and announces a series of events in November with its partners. The stated goal: to facilitate the transition of military skills to civilian jobs.

Five Events in November and Support from ID.me Announced

OpenAI has several events planned for November: an NPower event in St. Louis on November 12, a meeting in Nashville on November 14 with Veterans Forge and Wounded Warrior Project, a 30-minute virtual session on November 17, followed by NPower events in Dallas on November 19 and San Antonio on November 21. The company indicates it will continue this work with partners across the country for the remainder of the year. It highlights the assistance from ID.me to enable service members and veterans to access the free one-year offer and thanks its community partners for organizing the events. On Veterans Day, OpenAI sends a message of gratitude to former service members for their service and contributions.

Use Cases: Interviews, Resumes, and Career Transitions Tested by Veterans

Veterans are using ChatGPT to organize their job search, prepare for interviews, and explore career paths. Tilak Bhatnagar, a former Air Force member, used the subscription to prepare for a dozen interviews, find suitable phrasing for civilian employers, and compare offers before accepting a position at a tech company. Sadarian Bell planned his transition more than a year in advance, using the tool to convert nearly a decade of military healthcare experience into a civilian resume and practiced aloud with the voice mode, question by question. Kelli Ramirez, a former Navy member, took advantage of her transition to become an author after completing a writing course, relying on ChatGPT to fill in gaps; she has since published two books, stating her desire to help women approach technology with confidence and, for those sharing her Christian faith, with wisdom rooted in that faith.

Quantitative Assessment: Over 20,000 Accesses and Hundreds Trained

OpenAI reports over 20,000 beneficiaries of a free year of ChatGPT Plus over the past twelve months, in a context marked by the approach of Veterans Day. Additionally, OpenAI Academy and its partners have conducted more than a dozen sessions for nearly 1,000 members of the military community. Seven new sessions are announced before the end of the year.

Collective Learning: Academy, Workshops, and Online Resources

OpenAI Academy offers veterans, transitioning personnel, and spouses the opportunity to learn how to use AI together. A first series of six events has been conducted with Veterans Forge, and workshops with AI Collective Hampton Roads and NPower serve as pilots to adjust the content. During a workshop in Reston, Virginia, nearly 100 veterans and active-duty service members experimented with applications, receiving practical advice such as starting from a detailed experience narrative to generate a resume. Instructor Erin Marie facilitated the creation of custom GPTs and noted that initially skeptical participants found useful applications. In Louisville, over 80 members of the American Legion attended three sessions during the national convention. For those unable to attend in person, an online collection and 100 dedicated discussions offer exercises to try.

Origin and Stated Goal of the Program

The initiative was started by veterans employed at OpenAI, familiar with the tools and challenges of transition. The stated goal is to help veterans and their families transfer the skills acquired during service to professional activities of their choice.