India's AI Boom: ChatGPT Captures 100 Million Weekly Users
India Emerges as AI Powerhouse with ChatGPT Adoption
India has cemented its position as OpenAI's second-largest global market, with ChatGPT now boasting 100 million weekly active users nationwide. The revelation came from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ahead of this week's high-profile "India AI Impact Summit" in New Delhi.
Smart Pricing Wins Indian Hearts
The Silicon Valley firm struck gold with its localized approach launched last August:
- Introduced budget-friendly "ChatGPT Go" version
- Offered free one-year access to attract price-conscious users
- Specifically targeted students through educational partnerships
The strategy worked better than expected. "We're seeing unprecedented adoption among India's youth," Altman noted in his Times of India column. "This is now our largest student user base worldwide."
Not to be outdone, Google quickly countered by announcing free Gemini AI Pro subscriptions for Indian students starting September 2025.
Infrastructure Hurdles Remain
Despite the impressive numbers, monetization presents challenges:
- Patchy internet connectivity affects service quality
- Payment infrastructure lags behind user growth
- Local businesses hesitate on premium subscriptions
The Indian government is responding through its ambitious "India AI Mission," accelerating computing capacity expansion and startup support. But Altman warns: "Without true democratization, AI benefits might concentrate among elites."
Global Spotlight on Delhi Summit
The five-day summit has become a who's who of tech leadership:
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei confirming attendance
- Google's Sundar Pichai returning to his homeland
- Local billionaire Mukesh Ambani joining discussions
The international delegation—including officials from France, UAE and Brazil—signals India's growing influence in shaping global AI policy.
OpenAI remains tight-lipped about specific partnership announcements but hints at upcoming collaborations aimed at broadening access.
Key Points:
- 100M weekly users make India ChatGPT's #2 market after US
- Affordable pricing strategy drove massive student adoption
- Infrastructure limitations complicate monetization efforts
- Government initiatives aim to boost local AI ecosystem
- Global tech leaders converging at Delhi summit this week
