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India has 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users, making the country one of OpenAI\u2019s largest markets globally, CEO Sam Altman said ahead of a government-hosted AI summit.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Altman outlined ChatGPT\u2019s growing adoption in India in an article published<\/a> in the Indian English daily Times of India, as OpenAI prepares to formally participate in the five-day India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, beginning Monday. Altman is attending the event<\/a> alongside senior executives from several of the world\u2019s leading AI companies.<\/p>\n The growth comes as OpenAI, like other leading AI firms<\/a>, looks to India\u2019s young population and its more than a billion internet users to fuel global expansion. The ChatGPT maker opened a New Delhi office<\/a> in August 2025 after months of groundwork in the country, and has adjusted its approach for India\u2019s price-sensitive market, including rolling out a sub-$5 ChatGPT Go tier<\/a> that was later made free for a year<\/a> for Indian users.<\/p>\n In the article, Altman said India is ChatGPT\u2019s second-largest user base after the United States, highlighting the South Asian nation\u2019s growing weight in OpenAI\u2019s global strategy. The disclosure comes as ChatGPT\u2019s overall usage has surged worldwide, with the platform reaching 800 million weekly active users<\/a> as of October 2025 and reported to be approaching 900 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n Altman also highlighted the role of students in driving adoption, saying India has the largest number of student users of ChatGPT globally.<\/p>\n Indian students have become a key growth segment for leading AI companies more broadly, as rivals race to embed their tools in classrooms and learning workflows. Google has similarly targeted the market, offering Indian students a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan<\/a> in September 2025. Separately, India accounts for the highest global usage of Gemini for learning<\/a>, Chris Phillips, Google\u2019s vice president and general manager for education, said last month.<\/p>\n \u201cWith its focus on access, practical Al literacy, and the infrastructure that supports widespread adoption, India is well positioned to broaden who benefits from the technology and to help shape how democratic AI is adopted at scale,\u201d Altman wrote.<\/p>\n Techcrunch event<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBoston, MA<\/span> ChatGPT\u2019s rapid growth also highlights a broader challenge for AI companies in India: translating widespread adoption into sustained economic impact. Indian government initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission \u2014 a national program aimed at expanding computing capacity, supporting startups and accelerating AI adoption in public services \u2014 seek to address those gaps. However, the country\u2019s price-sensitive market and infrastructure constraints have made monetization and large-scale deployment more complex than in developed economies.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven India\u2019s size, it also risks forfeiting a vital opportunity to advance democratic AI in emerging markets around the world,\u201d Altman wrote, warning that uneven access and adoption could concentrate AI\u2019s economic gains in too few hands.<\/p>\n Altman also signaled that OpenAI plans to deepen its engagement with the Indian government, writing that the company would soon announce new partnerships aimed at expanding access to AI across the country. He did not provide details, but said the focus would be on widening reach and enabling more people to put AI tools to practical use.<\/p>\n The India AI Impact Summit<\/a> is expected to draw a wide cross-section of global technology and political leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Sundar Pichai of Google, and senior Indian business figures such as Mukesh Ambani and Nandan Nilekani. Political leaders including<\/a> Emmanuel Macron, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva are also expected to attend, spotlighting India\u2019s ambition to position itself as a central player in global AI debates.<\/p>\n For global AI firms, including OpenAI, the summit underscores how India\u2019s vast user base is translating into growing influence over how the technology evolves.<\/p>\n OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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