India has become ChatGPT's second largest market with about 100 million active users per week, according to CEO Sam Altman.
This figure was announced ahead of a conference on the impact of artificial intelligence organized by the government in New Delhi, where global technology leaders discussed the future of AI.
Mr. Altman described India as the main driving force for ChatGPT's global expansion, second only to the US in terms of user size.
This rapid growth reflects the pace at which generative AI is becoming a familiar part of the digital life of the world's most populous nation.
Globally, the platform developed by OpenAI has surpassed the 800 million active users per week mark in October 2025 and is predicted to reach nearly 900 million in the near future.
This scale shows that conversational AI is entering a phase of global popularization.
To expand the market, OpenAI has increased its presence in India by opening an office in New Delhi from August 2025.
The company also adjusted its price strategy to suit the cost-sensitive market with the ChatGPT Go package priced at 399 Rupees (under $5 USD), then provided a free year for domestic users. This move helps reduce barriers to access and attract more first-time AI users.
Students are considered an important force in the growth wave. Mr. Altman said India has the largest number of students using ChatGPT in the world.
In schools and universities, AI is increasingly being used to support writing, programming, research and exam preparation.
Competition in this field is also increasingly fierce. Google has provided a free AI Pro package for Indian students, and this country is also considered the most active market for its AI learning tool Gemini.
Despite the high rate of popularization, transitioning to economic success is still a difficult problem. Many technology companies have faced challenges in balancing operating costs with revenue in India, due to average income and user price sensitivity.
The Indian government is promoting initiatives such as the IndiaAI program to strengthen computing infrastructure, support startups and expand AI applications in the public sector.
However, the gap in internet access between regions is still a barrier to nationwide deployment.
In the near future, OpenAI plans to strengthen cooperation with the Indian government, with many new partnerships to expand access to AI and help people apply technology in practice.
