Key Points
- OpenAI offers a free 12‑month subscription to ChatGPT Go for Indian users.
- Promotion started on November 4 and applies to new sign‑ups and existing subscribers.
- ChatGPT Go provides ten‑times higher usage limits, image generation, and improved memory.
- The plan costs less than $5 per month under normal pricing.
- India is OpenAI’s second‑largest market after the United States.
- The promotion aligns with OpenAI’s DevDay Exchange conference in Bengaluru.
- Competitors like Perplexity and Google are also rolling out free AI plans in India.
OpenAI launches free‑year promotion for ChatGPT Go in India
OpenAI revealed a limited‑time promotion that grants Indian users a twelve‑month free subscription to its ChatGPT Go plan. The promotion, which began on November 4, is open to anyone in India who signs up during the promotional window. Existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in the country are also eligible to switch to the free‑year plan.
ChatGPT Go, priced at less than $5 per month, offers ten times more usage than the free version, enabling users to generate longer text responses, create images, and upload files. It also provides an improved memory capability that allows for more personalized interactions. OpenAI positioned the promotion as a way to support the creativity and adoption it has observed among Indian users since the plan’s launch in August.
Strategic focus on the Indian market
India represents a key market for OpenAI, with the company noting it as its second‑largest market after the United States. The nation’s massive smartphone base and extensive internet user population have driven rapid growth for the ChatGPT app. In the 90 days leading up to August, the app recorded over 29 million downloads, though in‑app purchases generated $3.6 million in revenue, according to Appfigures data referenced by TechCrunch.
OpenAI’s expansion in India includes opening a New Delhi office in August and building a local team to support developers and enterprises. The free‑year promotion coincides with the company’s upcoming DevDay Exchange developer conference in Bengaluru, where it expects to make additional India‑specific announcements.
Competitive landscape
OpenAI’s rivals are also targeting India’s large user base. Perplexity partnered with telecom operator Airtel to provide free Pro subscriptions to the carrier’s 360 million subscribers, while Google introduced a free one‑year AI Pro plan for Indian students. By offering the free‑year ChatGPT Go plan, OpenAI aims to maintain its foothold and encourage further usage of its AI tools in the region.
OpenAI officials expressed enthusiasm about the promotion, emphasizing the “inspiring” adoption and creativity they have witnessed from Indian users since the plan’s launch. The company looks forward to seeing how the free access will enable users to build, learn, and achieve with its AI capabilities.
Source: techcrunch.com