India Becomes Second-Largest Market for ChatGPT with 100M Weekly Users, Says Sam Altman
India now hosts 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users, making it one of OpenAI’s fastest-growing markets, CEO Sam Altman announced ahead of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. In an article for the Times of India, Altman highlighted the country’s massive adoption, emphasizing that India’s young, tech-savvy population is fueling the platform’s global expansion. OpenAI’s recent efforts, including the opening of a New Delhi office in August 2025, have aimed to make AI accessible to India’s price-sensitive users.
The growth comes as OpenAI experiments with locally tailored strategies. The company introduced a sub-$5 ChatGPT Go tier, later made free for a year for Indian users, to attract more participants. India now ranks as ChatGPT’s second-largest user base after the United States, contributing significantly to OpenAI’s global weekly active user count, which has climbed toward 900 million. Students, in particular, are emerging as a core segment, driving classroom and learning tool adoption.
Indian students are shaping the AI landscape in the country. Altman noted that India has the largest number of student users of ChatGPT globally. Competing companies, including Google, are similarly targeting this demographic, offering free subscriptions to AI-powered learning tools and platforms. These moves highlight India’s potential to influence the adoption of “democratic AI,” ensuring that technology reaches a broad base rather than concentrating benefits in a small sector.
Despite rapid adoption, challenges remain. OpenAI and other AI companies face hurdles in translating high usage into sustained economic impact due to price sensitivity and infrastructure limitations. Government initiatives, such as the IndiaAI Mission, aim to expand computing capacity, support startups, and accelerate AI adoption in public services. Altman warned that uneven access could risk concentrating AI’s economic gains in too few hands if not addressed.
Looking ahead, OpenAI plans to deepen engagement with India. Altman hinted at upcoming partnerships focused on widening AI access and practical usage, without providing specific details. The India AI Impact Summit is expected to attract global technology leaders, business figures, and political leaders, positioning India as a central player in shaping the future of AI and reinforcing the country’s growing influence over global AI adoption.
source: techcrunch