ChatGPT adoption skyrockets in India, but monetization may be trailing

For years, U.S.-based tech companies have tapped into India’s vast and increasing internet user base for growth. OpenAI is no exception. But while the AI lab claims that India is one of its fastest-growing ChatGPT markets, third-party data suggests that OpenAI may be struggling to turn that momentum into revenue.

According to analytics firm SensorTower, users in India have spent $8 million on ChatGPT subscriptions through in-app purchases since 2023. That doesn’t include purchases made through the ChatGPT web app. But notably, it’s a fraction of the $330 million SensorTower estimates U.S. users have spent on ChatGPT in-app.

One likely factor is the lack of local pricing for India. OpenAI’s cheapest ChatGPT plan in the country costs $20 (more than ₹1,700) per month, which is considered expensive for a digital subscription in India.

When contacted, OpenAI did not share specific details about its growth in India but pointed us to a recent post on X by COO Brad Lightcap, which claims that India is ChatGPT’s fastest-growing market.

Low as the revenue might be at present, India may still end up being a major growth driver for OpenAI. The company’s CEO, Sam Altman, recently expressed a desire for OpenAI to become a multi-billion-user platform. Tapping into India’s over 950 million internet users could help bootstrap that effort.

OpenAI apparently thinks so. The company is reportedly courting an alliance with Reliance Jio, one of India’s biggest mobile carriers, to get ChatGPT in front of more users.

In the meantime, ChatGPT continues to grow organically in India.

According to data from app tracker Appfigures, more than 20% of ChatGPT Android app downloads this year so far have been in India. At least a portion of that growth was fueled by the recently released revamped image generator in ChatGPT, which went viral for its ability to create realistic Ghibli-style art.

For context, ChatGPT has more than 500 million weekly users globally.