OpenAI is making its ChatGPT Go subscription plan available free for one year to users in India who sign up during a limited promotional period starting November 4, as the company looks to strengthen its presence in one of its fastest-growing markets.
OpenAI announced that new and existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in India will be eligible for the 12-month free plan, though it did not specify when the promotion will end. Normally priced at under $5 per month, ChatGPT Go launched in August as the company’s most affordable paid tier, offering expanded capabilities over the free version.
The promotion comes as OpenAI prepares to host its DevDay Exchange conference in Bengaluru on November 4, where the company is expected to make additional India-specific announcements for developers and enterprises.
India remains a key focus for OpenAI, which opened a New Delhi office in August and is building a local team to support expansion. CEO Sam Altman has described India as the company’s second-largest market after the U.S., though monetization has proven challenging.
According to data from Appfigures, the ChatGPT app generated over 29 million downloads in the 90 days leading up to August, but earned only $3.6 million in in-app purchases during that period.
With over 700 million smartphone users and more than a billion internet subscribers, India offers vast potential for growth, especially among students, developers, and professionals adopting generative AI tools.
The ChatGPT Go plan provides 10 times more usage than the free version, allowing users to generate responses, create images, and upload files with faster speeds and longer conversation memory. OpenAI says this enables more personalized interactions and smoother productivity workflows.
“Since initially launching ChatGPT Go in India a few months ago, the adoption and creativity we’ve seen from our users has been inspiring,” said Nick Turley, OpenAI’s vice president and head of ChatGPT. “We’re excited to see the amazing things our users will build, learn, and achieve with these tools.”
OpenAI’s expansion coincides with growing competition from Perplexity AI and Google. Perplexity recently partnered with Airtel to offer free Perplexity Pro subscriptions to its 360 million customers, while Google launched a free one-year AI Pro plan for students in India.
The move signals an intensifying race among major AI players to attract India’s young, mobile-first user base, which represents one of the largest emerging AI adoption segments worldwide.
Featured image credits: Dado Ruvic/REUTERS
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