OpenAI is making a big move in India by offering free access to its ChatGPT Go service for an entire year starting November 4. This strategic push aims to capture a share of India’s rapidly growing digital market, which is expected to become a major battleground for AI tools. The announcement coincides with OpenAI’s DevDay Exchange developer conference in Bengaluru, where the company plans to reveal India-specific updates for local developers and businesses.

OpenAI’s Big Bet on India’s Growing Market

India’s AI market is booming, with estimates suggesting it could triple in value by 2027, reaching around $51 billion. OpenAI’s offer of free access is part of a broader strategy to establish a strong foothold early on. Other tech giants like Google and Perplexity have already launched similar initiatives. Perplexity, for instance, partnered with Airtel to give free Pro subscriptions to millions of users, while Google offered a free year of AI Pro to students. These moves highlight a fierce competition to attract Indian users, who represent a huge potential customer base.

OpenAI’s approach aims to build loyalty and expand its user base quickly. The company has also opened a new office in New Delhi and assembled a local team, signaling its serious commitment to the Indian market. With over a billion potential users, the stakes are high, and OpenAI wants to be the dominant player in this fast-growing space.

Market Response and User Growth

The numbers show a clear surge in AI app downloads in India. In the second quarter of 2025, Perplexity’s downloads jumped 600% year-over-year to 2.8 million. During that same period, ChatGPT’s downloads increased by nearly the same percentage, reaching 46.7 million. Despite the huge growth, ChatGPT still leads in active users, with nearly 20 million monthly in India, compared to Perplexity’s 3.7 million.

The introduction of ChatGPT Go addresses user feedback for more affordable access to advanced features. In its first month, the program more than doubled the number of paid subscribers in India, showing strong demand. The new program offers benefits like higher message limits, more image generations, longer memory, and the ability to upload more files—all for less than $5 a month. This makes it a compelling offer for users and a clear move to lock in long-term customers.

Nick Turley, Vice President of ChatGPT, stated that adoption has been impressive since the initial launch in India. He expressed excitement about the opportunity and the potential impact on the local market. OpenAI’s aggressive tactics reflect a strategic effort to secure a significant share of India’s 1.4 billion potential users, with a focus on building local presence and community.

Inspired by

• https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/openai-chatgpt-go-free-india-market-strategy/

Sources

• restofworld.org