India becomes OpenAI’s second-largest market for ChatGPT

OpenAI has reached 100 million weekly active users in India, establishing the country as the company’s second-largest market globally after the United States. On Sunday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman outlined the growing adoption of ChatGPT in the country. The announcement comes as the South Asian nation prepares to host the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where global technology and political leaders are expected to gather.

The user growth follows OpenAI’s expansion into the region. The company opened a New Delhi office in August 2025 and adjusted its approach for the market by introducing ChatGPT Go, a lower-cost tier priced at sub-$5. According to Altman, India now holds the largest number of student users of ChatGPT globally. This student demographic has become a key focus for AI companies in the region; for instance, Google offered Indian students a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan in September 2025.

The surge in India contributes to OpenAI’s broader global momentum. ChatGPT’s overall usage reached 800 million weekly active users as of October 2025, and is reported to be approaching 900 million weekly active users worldwide.

Ahead of the summit, Altman emphasized India’s critical role in shaping how the technology is deployed. “With 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,” Altman wrote. However, he also warned that due to its size, India risks missing a critical opportunity to advance democratic AI in emerging markets worldwide.

To address the challenges of translating widespread adoption into sustained economic impact, the Indian government has established the IndiaAI Mission, a national program for AI development aimed at expanding computing capacity and accelerating adoption in public services. The upcoming summit is expected to draw figures including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Indian business figures Mukesh Ambani and Nandan Nilekani, alongside political leaders such as Emmanuel Macron, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Why it matters

The disclosure of 100 million weekly active users in India highlights the country’s growing weight in OpenAI’s global strategy and its role as a key growth segment for leading AI companies.