India Becomes OpenAI’s Biggest Market in Asia With 100M Weekly ChatGPT Users

India has emerged as one of the most important markets in the global artificial intelligence race. While the competition is often framed as a rivalry between the United States and China, India is rapidly establishing itself as a major AI hub — both as a user base and as a strategic growth market for global tech companies.

According to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, 100 million people in India are now using ChatGPT every single week. This makes India the largest ChatGPT market in Asia and the second-largest globally after the United States.

Altman shared these figures ahead of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, as reported by The Times of India.

With around 800 million weekly active users globally, India alone accounts for a significant share of OpenAI’s global footprint.

India AI Impact Summit: A Key Moment for the Ecosystem

The announcement came ahead of the India AI Impact Summit, where policymakers, industry leaders and global tech executives gathered to discuss artificial intelligence in education, enterprise and governance.

The milestone highlights India’s growing influence in shaping global AI adoption trends — not just as a consumer market but also as a contributor to AI-driven innovation.

Why Is India Such a Big Market for OpenAI?

Young, Digital-First Population

India’s demographic advantage is a major growth driver. With over a billion internet users and one of the world’s largest student populations, the country provides fertile ground for AI tools.

Altman has consistently highlighted students as a primary growth engine for ChatGPT adoption in India.

As he wrote for TOI:

“It has the largest number of students on ChatGPT worldwide, a sign of how many young people here are treating AI as a way to learn faster and get ahead. And it ranks fourth globally in the use of Prism, our free new tool for scientific research and collaboration.”

Students are increasingly using ChatGPT for:

• Homework assistance

• Coding support

• Competitive exam preparation

• Language learning

• Academic research

AI is quickly becoming embedded in everyday educational workflows.

India Has 100 Million Weekly Active Users

As of this month, India has 100 million weekly active users, making it the second-largest ChatGPT market globally after the US.

This rapid growth underscores India’s central role in OpenAI’s long-term strategy.

Pricing Strategy Tailored for India

Recognising India’s price-sensitive market, OpenAI introduced a sub-$5 ChatGPT Go tier and later made it free for a year for Indian users. This significantly lowered the entry barrier and accelerated adoption.

Such pricing localisation reflects how seriously OpenAI views the Indian opportunity.

OpenAI Strengthens India Presence

To deepen its engagement, OpenAI opened its New Delhi office in August 2025. The move signals a long-term commitment to partnerships, regulatory collaboration and local ecosystem building.

Google Catching Up With Gemini

OpenAI is not alone in targeting India’s AI-hungry audience.

Google has aggressively promoted Gemini as an education-focused AI assistant.

India ranks among the top global markets for Gemini’s use in education.

Gemini’s Expansion Through Reliance Jio

Through a partnership with Reliance Jio, Gemini AI Pro is available free for over 500 million Jio subscribers for 18 months, initially targeting users aged 18–25.

This strategic distribution gives Google access to one of the world’s largest telecom subscriber bases.

Beyond Students: Professionals and Researchers Fuel AI Growth

India’s AI boom is not limited to classrooms.

• Professionals are using AI tools for productivity and automation.

• Developers are leveraging AI for coding and debugging.

• Researchers are increasingly using OpenAI’s scientific collaboration tools.

India ranks fourth globally in the use of Prism, OpenAI’s free scientific research tool, further reinforcing the country’s importance in advanced AI applications.

India’s Strategic Role in the Global AI Race

While the global AI narrative often centres on US–China competition, India is becoming:

• A massive AI consumer market

• A testing ground for scalable AI deployment

• A source of skilled AI talent

• A key regulatory and policy voice in AI governance

With 100 million weekly ChatGPT users and growing competition from Gemini, India’s AI ecosystem is entering a new phase of acceleration.

Key Takeaways

• India has 100 million weekly ChatGPT users.

• It is the largest market in Asia and second globally after the US.

• India has the largest student user base on ChatGPT worldwide.

• The country ranks fourth globally in Prism usage.

• OpenAI opened its New Delhi office in August 2025.

• Google’s Gemini AI is expanding via Reliance Jio’s 500 million subscribers.

India is no longer just an emerging AI market — it is becoming one of the central pillars of global AI adoption.