ChatGPT Surges in India, Monetization Lags
U.S. tech giants have long seen India's massive and expanding internet community as a key to their growth, and OpenAI is no different. Despite claims of India being one of its fastest-growing markets for ChatGPT, third-party data hints that OpenAI might be facing challenges in converting this growth into revenue.
SensorTower's analytics reveal that since 2023, Indian users have spent around $8 million on ChatGPT subscriptions via in-app purchases. This figure, however, excludes spending through the ChatGPT web app and is dwarfed by the $330 million spent by U.S. users on in-app purchases.
A major hurdle could be the absence of localized pricing in India. The entry-level ChatGPT subscription there is priced at $20 (over ₹1,700) monthly, a steep price for digital services in the Indian market.
When approached for comment, OpenAI did not provide specific insights into its expansion in India but directed us to a post on X by COO Brad Lightcap, stating that India is ChatGPT's fastest-growing market.
While current revenue from India may be modest, the country could become a significant growth engine for OpenAI. CEO Sam Altman has voiced ambitions for OpenAI to reach billions of users, and tapping into India's 950 million internet users could be a crucial step in that direction.
OpenAI seems to recognize this potential, as reports suggest they are in talks with Reliance Jio, India's leading mobile carrier, to broaden ChatGPT's reach.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT's user base in India continues to expand on its own.
Image Credits:Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch Appfigures data shows that over 20% of ChatGPT's Android app downloads this year have come from India, partly driven by the buzz around its updated image generator, which gained fame for producing lifelike Ghibli-style art.
To put things in perspective, ChatGPT boasts over 500 million weekly users worldwide.
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Comments (36)
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![HarryAllen]()
HarryAllen
July 27, 2025 at 9:18:39 PM EDT
ChatGPT's growth in India sounds impressive, but monetization lagging? Typical tech giant struggle—big user base, small wallets. Curious how OpenAI plans to crack this market! 🤔
0
![JustinMartin]()
JustinMartin
April 13, 2025 at 3:05:22 AM EDT
भारत में ChatGPT की वृद्धि प्रभावशाली है, लेकिन मुद्रीकरण? उतना नहीं। यह ऐसा है जैसे बड़ी पार्टी हो और कोई भी पेय नहीं खरीद रहा हो। फिर भी, मुझे उम्मीद है कि OpenAI जल्द ही इसे सुलझा लेगा। चलो आगे बढ़ते हैं!
0
![StevenNelson]()
StevenNelson
April 12, 2025 at 11:10:31 PM EDT
インドでのChatGPTの成長は素晴らしいけど、収益化はまだまだ。パーティーは盛大だけど、誰もドリンクを買わない感じ。でも、OpenAIが早く解決策を見つけることを期待してるよ。頑張って！
0
![RichardJohnson]()
RichardJohnson
April 12, 2025 at 5:57:31 PM EDT
인도에서 ChatGPT의 성장은 대단하지만, 수익화는 아직 미흡해요. 큰 파티를 여는데 아무도 음료를 사지 않는 느낌이에요. 그래도 OpenAI가 곧 해결책을 찾길 기대해요. 파이팅!
0
![RaymondGreen]()
RaymondGreen
April 11, 2025 at 9:19:15 PM EDT
インドでのChatGPTの急成長は素晴らしいけど、収益化が遅れているのは残念。パーティーを開いて入場料を忘れるようなものだね。それでもAIが波を起こしているのは素敵だよ。近いうちに収益面も改善されることを願ってるよ。🤞
0
![BruceSmith]()
BruceSmith
April 11, 2025 at 4:50:47 PM EDT
ChatGPT está de moda en la India, pero parece que OpenAI tiene problemas para monetizar. Lo uso a diario, pero su estrategia de monetización es débil. ¿Quizás necesiten replantearse su estrategia? Aun así, es muy útil para mí. 🚀
0
U.S. tech giants have long seen India's massive and expanding internet community as a key to their growth, and OpenAI is no different. Despite claims of India being one of its fastest-growing markets for ChatGPT, third-party data hints that OpenAI might be facing challenges in converting this growth into revenue.
SensorTower's analytics reveal that since 2023, Indian users have spent around $8 million on ChatGPT subscriptions via in-app purchases. This figure, however, excludes spending through the ChatGPT web app and is dwarfed by the $330 million spent by U.S. users on in-app purchases.
A major hurdle could be the absence of localized pricing in India. The entry-level ChatGPT subscription there is priced at $20 (over ₹1,700) monthly, a steep price for digital services in the Indian market.
When approached for comment, OpenAI did not provide specific insights into its expansion in India but directed us to a post on X by COO Brad Lightcap, stating that India is ChatGPT's fastest-growing market.
While current revenue from India may be modest, the country could become a significant growth engine for OpenAI. CEO Sam Altman has voiced ambitions for OpenAI to reach billions of users, and tapping into India's 950 million internet users could be a crucial step in that direction.
OpenAI seems to recognize this potential, as reports suggest they are in talks with Reliance Jio, India's leading mobile carrier, to broaden ChatGPT's reach.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT's user base in India continues to expand on its own.
To put things in perspective, ChatGPT boasts over 500 million weekly users worldwide.
OpenAI Upgrades ChatGPT Pro to o3, Boosting Value of $200 Monthly Subscription
This week witnessed significant AI developments from tech giants including Microsoft, Google, and Anthropic. OpenAI concludes the flurry of announcements with its own groundbreaking updates - extending beyond its high-profile $6.5 billion acquisition
Nonprofit leverages AI agents to boost charity fundraising efforts
While major tech corporations promote AI "agents" as productivity boosters for businesses, one nonprofit organization is demonstrating their potential for social good. Sage Future, a philanthropic research group backed by Open Philanthropy, recently
Top AI Labs Warn Humanity Is Losing Grasp on Understanding AI Systems
In an unprecedented show of unity, researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic and Meta have set aside competitive differences to issue a collective warning about responsible AI development. Over 40 leading scientists from these typically riv
July 27, 2025 at 9:18:39 PM EDT
ChatGPT's growth in India sounds impressive, but monetization lagging? Typical tech giant struggle—big user base, small wallets. Curious how OpenAI plans to crack this market! 🤔
0
April 13, 2025 at 3:05:22 AM EDT
भारत में ChatGPT की वृद्धि प्रभावशाली है, लेकिन मुद्रीकरण? उतना नहीं। यह ऐसा है जैसे बड़ी पार्टी हो और कोई भी पेय नहीं खरीद रहा हो। फिर भी, मुझे उम्मीद है कि OpenAI जल्द ही इसे सुलझा लेगा। चलो आगे बढ़ते हैं!
0
April 12, 2025 at 11:10:31 PM EDT
インドでのChatGPTの成長は素晴らしいけど、収益化はまだまだ。パーティーは盛大だけど、誰もドリンクを買わない感じ。でも、OpenAIが早く解決策を見つけることを期待してるよ。頑張って！
0
April 12, 2025 at 5:57:31 PM EDT
인도에서 ChatGPT의 성장은 대단하지만, 수익화는 아직 미흡해요. 큰 파티를 여는데 아무도 음료를 사지 않는 느낌이에요. 그래도 OpenAI가 곧 해결책을 찾길 기대해요. 파이팅!
0
April 11, 2025 at 9:19:15 PM EDT
インドでのChatGPTの急成長は素晴らしいけど、収益化が遅れているのは残念。パーティーを開いて入場料を忘れるようなものだね。それでもAIが波を起こしているのは素敵だよ。近いうちに収益面も改善されることを願ってるよ。🤞
0
April 11, 2025 at 4:50:47 PM EDT
ChatGPT está de moda en la India, pero parece que OpenAI tiene problemas para monetizar. Lo uso a diario, pero su estrategia de monetización es débil. ¿Quizás necesiten replantearse su estrategia? Aun así, es muy útil para mí. 🚀
0
