Grab and OpenAI to Train 3,000 Gig Workers in Thailand on AI

Grab and OpenAI are bringing their GO Forward with AI training programme to Thailand, aiming to equip more than 3,000 drivers, delivery riders and merchants with practical artificial intelligence skills. Announced on October 14, 2026, the initiative will offer hands-on training through GrabAcademy, covering business growth, customer engagement, financial planning and ways to explore additional income opportunities, with participating workers receiving three months of complimentary ChatGPT Plus access.

The Thailand launch expands a regional partnership that aims to train more than 30,000 Grab driver-, delivery- and merchant-partners across Southeast Asia over two years. Rather than focusing solely on how AI works, the programme is designed to show participants how to apply tools such as ChatGPT to everyday tasks, from creating marketing materials and communicating with customers to planning a small business. The initiative also highlights a growing challenge for the gig economy: making AI skills accessible to workers who may not have dedicated technology teams or formal technical training.

Key takeaways

• More than 3,000 participants in Thailand: Grab and OpenAI plan to train drivers, delivery riders and merchants through the GO Forward with AI programme.
• Three months of free ChatGPT Plus: Participants who attend the specified in-person training modules will receive complimentary access.
• Two practical training tracks: Merchants will learn how to attract customers and improve business operations, while drivers and riders will focus on productivity, service and additional income opportunities.
• Part of a 30,000-person regional initiative: Thailand follows the programme’s initial launch in Singapore, with other Southeast Asian markets included in the wider rollout.
• Existing AI tools provide a foundation: Grab already offers AI assistants for drivers and merchants, giving the partnership an existing operational base.
• The goal is practical upskilling: The programme aims to help workers use AI confidently, but it does not guarantee higher earnings or new business revenue.

What is Grab and OpenAI’s GO Forward with AI programme?

GO Forward with AI is a regional AI-skilling initiative developed by Grab, Southeast Asia’s consumer technology platform, and OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.

The programme was first announced on September 23, 2026, with Singapore as its initial market. The companies said it would expand to Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines later in 2026, followed by Malaysia and Vietnam in 2027.

The October 14 Thailand announcement marks the programme’s expansion into another market. According to Grab Thailand, the local initiative aims to train more than 3,000 drivers, delivery riders and merchant-partners.

The training is delivered through GrabAcademy, Grab’s learning programme for its platform-partner community. Workshops are designed around the practical needs of people who earn income through driving, deliveries or operating businesses on the platform.

The partnership reflects a shift in AI education from general awareness towards applied skills. Participants are expected to learn how to use AI to solve specific problems rather than simply understand the technology or experiment with one-off prompts.

For example, a merchant could use ChatGPT to create social media content, interpret customer feedback or develop a promotion. A driver might use it to communicate with passengers, organise expenses or explore a side business.

The programme does not require participants to become software engineers. Instead, it focuses on using natural-language instructions and AI tools to complete tasks that might otherwise require more time, technical knowledge or outside assistance.

What will Thailand’s 3,000 Grab partners learn?

Grab Thailand has outlined two core training modules under its 2026 GrabAcademy programme. Each is designed for a different group of participants.

Training module	Target participants	Main focus
Grow Your Business with ChatGPT: Attract, Engage & Retain Your Customers	Merchants and restaurant operators	Customer insights, branding, marketing content and customer loyalty
Grow Your Earnings with AI: Smarter Shifts, Better Service & New Opportunities	Drivers and delivery riders	Productivity, customer communication, budgeting and additional income ideas

Source: Grab Thailand’s October 14, 2026, announcement.

1. Helping merchants attract and retain customers

The merchant-focused module is designed to help restaurant operators and other businesses improve how they attract, engage and retain customers.

Participants will learn to use ChatGPT to explore customer needs, improve visual branding, prepare social media content and turn customer reviews into ideas for improving loyalty.

These activities can be time-consuming for small businesses, particularly those without dedicated marketing staff. AI tools can help generate initial drafts, organise feedback and suggest alternative approaches for business owners to review.

For example, a restaurant owner could ask ChatGPT to create several versions of a promotional message for different customer groups. The owner could then check the wording, verify the offer and choose the version that best fits the business.

The programme also aims to connect AI use with everyday operational decisions. Better organisation of customer feedback and promotional planning could help merchants identify opportunities to improve their service.

However, AI-generated recommendations are not a substitute for reliable business data. A merchant still needs to check whether a promotion is financially viable, whether the information is accurate and whether the proposed marketing approach reflects the business’s actual customers.

2. Helping drivers and delivery riders grow their earnings

The second module focuses on drivers and delivery riders, whose work often requires managing time, communicating with customers and making decisions about expenses.

Grab says the training will introduce practical applications such as real-time translation through ChatGPT, passenger communication, AI-assisted financial budgeting, marketing and personal branding.

Participants will also work towards creating a Personal Work & Earnings Kit, which includes a 30-day action plan and financial targets intended to help them organise their work and earnings goals.

The programme’s focus on additional income is particularly relevant to platform workers who want to explore opportunities beyond driving or delivery work.

A driver could use AI to investigate a small business idea, develop a basic marketing plan or organise a household budget. A delivery rider might use the tools to prepare a simple service offering or identify skills they want to develop.

The benefit will depend on the quality of the advice, the participant’s circumstances and the ability to put the ideas into practice. AI can help organise information and generate options, but it cannot guarantee better earnings, more bookings or a profitable side business.

Why three months of free ChatGPT Plus matters

Participants who attend the specified in-person training modules will receive three months of complimentary ChatGPT Plus access, according to Grab Thailand.

The subscription is intended to let workers continue experimenting with AI after the workshop ends. This matters because learning a new tool usually requires repeated practice with real tasks, rather than a single demonstration.

A merchant might use the subscription to develop a marketing calendar, prepare product descriptions and organise customer feedback. A driver could practise translation, create a personal budget or explore a business plan over several weeks.

The training and subscription are complementary. The workshop introduces practical methods, while continued access gives participants an opportunity to refine those methods and apply them to their own work.

The companies have not said that every Grab partner in Thailand will automatically receive a free subscription. The offer is tied to participation in the specified training modules, so workers should check the official programme details and eligibility requirements.

The three-month offer also does not establish what happens after the complimentary period. Participants should check the applicable subscription terms before assuming that access will remain free indefinitely.

How Grab is already using AI for drivers and merchants

The new training programme builds on existing AI initiatives within Grab’s platform.

According to Grab Thailand’s announcement, its GrabMerchant AI Assistant has been used by more than 275,000 merchants nationwide. The company introduced the tool to help merchants analyse business data and plan operations.

Grab also says its Driver AI Assistant, developed using OpenAI technology, had reached 120,000 drivers in Thailand since its official launch in September 2026.

The Driver AI Assistant is designed to provide guidance and recommendations that can help drivers and delivery riders work more efficiently. The broader regional partnership builds on a collaboration between Grab and OpenAI that began in 2024.

These figures are company-reported adoption numbers. They do not independently demonstrate how much additional revenue the tools generate or how much time users save.

Nevertheless, the existing tools provide a useful foundation for training. Workers who already encounter AI features within the Grab ecosystem may find it easier to understand how conversational AI can support tasks beyond the platform itself.

From in-app assistance to broader AI skills

An in-app assistant is designed around a relatively specific set of tasks. A broader AI assistant can help users work on many other activities, including drafting documents, preparing marketing plans and organising information.

The GO Forward with AI programme aims to help participants make that transition.

For merchants, this could mean moving from using a platform feature for business insights to creating a more complete marketing or operations workflow. For drivers, it could mean using AI to explore a second source of income or improve their financial planning.

The difference is important because practical AI literacy is not simply knowing which tool to open. It also involves asking useful questions, checking answers, handling personal information responsibly and deciding when human judgement is necessary.

The programme’s hands-on format is intended to build those skills through real-world exercises.

Why the initiative matters for Thailand’s gig economy

Thailand’s gig economy includes people who earn income through ride-hailing, delivery services and small businesses connected to digital platforms.

Many of these workers operate independently and must manage several responsibilities themselves. Drivers and riders balance working hours, customer service and expenses, while merchants often handle marketing, stock, pricing and customer relationships with limited staff.

AI could provide practical support in these areas by reducing the time required for certain administrative and creative tasks.

For instance, a small restaurant might use AI to draft promotional material in different languages. A driver could use translation to communicate more effectively with an international passenger. A merchant could organise reviews and identify recurring customer complaints.

These applications are relatively accessible because they do not necessarily require programming skills or expensive specialist software.

But access alone is not enough. Workers need to know how to assess AI responses, protect sensitive information and adapt generated suggestions to their circumstances.

Training is therefore a significant part of the initiative. It aims to help participants develop confidence in applying AI rather than relying on the assumption that simply providing access to a tool will lead to meaningful results.

The economic impact remains uncertain. Grab and OpenAI have not published independent evidence that the Thailand programme will increase participants’ average earnings, reduce working hours or create a specific number of new businesses.

The wider Southeast Asian rollout

Thailand is part of a regional plan that aims to reach more than 30,000 Grab partners over two years.

The programme began in Singapore in September 2026 and is expanding to Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines during the remainder of the year. Malaysia and Vietnam are scheduled to follow in 2027, according to the original announcement.

The companies plan to use half-day, in-person workshops based on the OpenAI Academy curriculum, adapted to local markets and participant needs. They will also train GrabAcademy trainers so that the programme can reach more people over time.

This train-the-trainer approach could help extend the programme beyond the initial workshops. Rather than depending exclusively on a small group of specialists, Grab can prepare its regional training network to deliver the material more widely.

Local adaptation will be important. Drivers, riders and merchants face different business conditions, customer expectations and language requirements across Southeast Asia.

A useful programme must therefore go beyond translating generic examples. Its exercises need to reflect local working practices, relevant regulations and the actual problems participants want to solve.

What the partnership means for OpenAI and Grab

For OpenAI, the initiative provides a route to introduce practical AI skills to a large population of workers and small-business operators.

For Grab, it strengthens the company’s role as more than a marketplace for transportation, deliveries and merchant services. The platform can also serve as a channel for training, digital tools and economic opportunities for its partners.

Analysis: The partnership could benefit both companies if workers adopt AI in ways that improve their day-to-day activities. OpenAI gains a structured route to broader AI adoption, while Grab can strengthen relationships with drivers, riders and merchants by helping them develop new skills.

The companies will still need to demonstrate that the programme delivers meaningful outcomes. Workshop attendance, subscription access and tool usage are useful measures of participation, but they do not automatically prove improved financial well-being.

Useful longer-term indicators would include continued use of AI after training, time saved on common tasks, business adoption of the tools and measurable changes in participants’ ability to plan or manage their work.

Neither company has announced a quantified earnings target for the Thailand initiative.

Risks and limitations workers should understand

AI tools can produce inaccurate information, misunderstand instructions or make recommendations that do not fit a user’s situation.

A merchant who uses AI to review business data should verify the underlying figures before making decisions. A driver using AI for budgeting should check calculations and avoid treating general suggestions as personalised financial advice.

Privacy also matters. Participants should avoid uploading unnecessary customer information, financial identifiers or other sensitive details into AI tools without understanding the relevant data-handling rules.

There is another limitation: training cannot remove structural challenges faced by platform workers. Demand fluctuations, fuel costs, competition, platform policies and local economic conditions can still affect earnings.

AI may help participants organise their work or identify opportunities, but it cannot guarantee that those opportunities will be available or profitable.

The programme’s value will ultimately depend on whether the skills are relevant, easy to apply and useful after the workshops have ended.

What happens next?

The next stage is the delivery of the Thailand training modules through GrabAcademy, followed by continued expansion of the regional programme.

Participants will have an opportunity to apply the techniques introduced in the workshops and continue practising with the complimentary ChatGPT Plus subscription. Grab and OpenAI will also need to scale the training while adapting it to the needs of different partner communities.

For Thailand’s drivers, delivery riders and merchants, the immediate opportunity is practical: learn how AI can assist with customer communication, marketing, budgeting and business planning. For the companies, the longer-term test is whether those skills translate into sustained use and measurable benefits.

The launch is a concrete step towards broader AI education for gig workers in Southeast Asia. Whether it improves earnings or business performance will depend on how participants use the tools, the quality of the training and the economic opportunities available to them.

Frequently asked questions

How many Grab workers will receive AI training in Thailand?

Grab and OpenAI aim to train more than 3,000 drivers, delivery riders and merchant-partners in Thailand through the GO Forward with AI programme.

Will participants receive free ChatGPT Plus?

Yes. Grab says participants who attend the specified in-person training modules will receive three months of complimentary ChatGPT Plus access. The offer is not described as automatic access for every Grab partner.

What will the AI training cover?

The programme includes merchant training on customer insights, branding, marketing and customer retention. Drivers and delivery riders will learn about productivity, passenger communication, translation, financial budgeting and exploring additional income opportunities.

Is the programme available across Southeast Asia?

The regional programme aims to reach more than 30,000 Grab partners over two years. It began in Singapore, expanded to Thailand, and is scheduled to reach Indonesia and the Philippines in 2026, followed by Malaysia and Vietnam in 2027.