India contributes 100 million "weekly active users," accounting for 1/8 of OpenAI's active users, second only to the United States.

India contributes 100 million "weekly active users," accounting for 1/8 of OpenAI's active users, second only to the United States.

```

On February 15, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated in an article published in The Times of India that India has become one of its key strategic markets globally. The country currently has 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users, accounting for about one-eighth of the global total, making its user base second only to the United States. This statement was made on the eve of the AI Impact Summit, which kicked off in New Delhi on Monday to explore the application and governance of AI technology.

This data highlights India's strategic position in the global AI landscape. With global weekly active users surpassing 800 million and approaching 900 million, India's base of more than 1 billion internet users and young population structure is a strategic anchor for major tech companies seeking new emerging market growth.

Although the scale of the Indian market brings significant traffic benefits to OpenAI, its commercialization still faces challenges. The Indian market is highly price sensitive, and infrastructure limitations make the process of moving from mass adoption of AI to deep monetization and sustained economic impact more complex than in developed economies.

Student users fueling growth

Among India’s vast AI user base, the student population is becoming a core driver. Altman pointed out that India has the world’s largest group of ChatGPT student users, providing crucial support for the country’s market growth.

This trend is also reflected in the strategies of competitors. Google has likewise positioned India as a strategic stronghold for edtech, launching a one-year free subscription to the AI Pro plan for Indian students in September 2025. Chris Phillips, Google’s Vice President and General Manager of Education, revealed that India accounts for the highest proportion of Gemini’s global learning use.

With India having the world’s largest student user pool, major AI companies are racing to embed their tools into classrooms and daily learning processes, aiming to build brand awareness and usage habits among the next generation by capturing the education scene.

Localization strategies for price-sensitive markets

To address the price sensitivity of the Indian market and expand its user base, OpenAI is accelerating its localization efforts. In August 2025, the company officially established an office in New Delhi, ending months of preliminary market preparations and marking OpenAI’s entry into substantive operations in India.

On the product side, OpenAI launched the ChatGPT Go package priced below $5, offering Indian users a one-year free usage period, aiming to capture incremental market share by lowering the entry barrier.

Altman said:

"With its focus on accessibility, practical AI literacy, and infrastructure supporting broad adoption, India has the ability to broaden the scope of technology beneficiaries and help shape how democratic AI is adopted at scale."

Government summit brings together global AI leaders

As India’s AI Impact Summit opens in New Delhi, the nation seeks to leverage its vast user base and market potential to elevate its core role in global AI governance and collaboration.

The summit attracted broad international political and business leaders. Besides OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, attendees included Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, as well as business leaders Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, and Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of Infosys.

On the political front, French President Emmanuel Macron, UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will also attend.

Altman stated during the conference that OpenAI plans to deepen cooperation with the Indian government and will soon announce new partnerships aimed at expanding nationwide access to AI. Although no details were disclosed, he emphasized a focus on extending technology coverage and promoting universal application of AI tools.

This commitment echoes national initiatives such as the Indian government’s “IndiaAI Mission”. The plan aims to expand computing infrastructure, support local startups, and accelerate AI adoption in public services.

However, Altman also cautioned that uneven accessibility and adoption could concentrate AI's economic benefits in the hands of a few. He stated:

"Given India's scale, it also risks missing a critical opportunity to advance democratic AI in global emerging markets."

Beyond the optimistic narrative of user growth, how to achieve equitable distribution of technology remains a long-term challenge for India.

Risk Warning and DisclaimerMarkets involve risks, and investment should be approached cautiously. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account the unique investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their specific circumstances. Any investments based on this article are made at your own risk. ```