As India paves its way to become a tech giant and evolves in Artificial Intelligence, Indian users account for over 100 million weekly active users of OpenAI’s AI chatbot ChatGPT, making it one of the largest markets globally, according to CEO Sam Altman.
The disclosure comes amid the ongoing India AI Impact Summit, 2026, in New Delhi. Altman outlined the rapid growth of the company’s AI chatbot in the column published in The Times of India on Sunday.
Altman will attend the five-day Summit starting on Monday (16 February). Alongside other AI leaders, Altman will be signalling the country’s efforts amid rising importance to OpenAI’s global ambitions.
The numbers highlight India’s rising importance to OpenAI’s global ambitions. Altman said India is now ChatGPT’s second-largest user base after the United States, reflecting both the country’s scale and its accelerating adoption of AI tools. Globally, ChatGPT has seen explosive growth, reaching around 800 million weekly active users by October 2025 and reportedly nearing 900 million.
India’s young population offers growing opportunities for consumer technology platforms. OpenAI opened an office in New Delhi in August 2025 after months of groundwork and has adapted its offerings for India’s price-sensitive market.
Students, in particular, developed as the key users of the AI chatbot. Altman also noted that India has the largest number of ChatGPT users globally, underscoring how AI tools are becoming embedded in learning and studying, and how workflows are evolving.
Despite high sales adoption, Altman acknowledged a major challenge facing AI companies in India: converting widespread usage into economic impact.
“Given India’s size, it also risks forfeiting a vital opportunity to advance democratic AI in emerging markets around the world,” Altman wrote, warning that uneven access could concentrate AI’s benefits among a narrow group rather than spreading them widely.
Altman also signalled that OpenAI is also planning to deepen its engagement with the Indian government, with new partnerships expected to be announced soon.
The India AI Impact Summit itself reflects the country’s growing role in global AI discussions. The event is expected to draw a mix of technology leaders and policymakers, including Dario Amodei, Sundar Pichai, and prominent Indian business figures such as Mukesh Ambani and Nandan Nilekani. Political leaders, including Emmanuel Macron and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, are also expected to attend.
