India has reached a remarkable milestone in AI adoption, with 100 million weekly active users on ChatGPT, securing its position as the second-largest market globally for OpenAI’s flagship chatbot—trailing only the United States. This announcement comes from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in his op-ed for The Times of India, published ahead of his keynote at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
The summit, running from February 16 to 20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, is a landmark event in the Global South, convening world leaders, tech CEOs—including Sundar Pichai (Alphabet/Google), Dario Amodei (Anthropic), and others—policymakers, and innovators to explore AI’s role in inclusive development, ethical governance, and equitable access.
Altman emphasized India’s explosive growth in AI usage, noting that the 100 million weekly active users span free and paid tiers, including affordable options like ChatGPT Go. Particularly striking is India’s status as home to the world’s largest number of student users on the platform, who leverage it to accelerate learning, tackle complex problems, and enhance education in a country with a massive young population.
Highlighting India’s potential to emerge as a “full-stack AI leader”, Altman pointed to key strengths:
- A deep reservoir of tech talent and entrepreneurial innovation.
- A forward-looking national AI strategy prioritizing widespread deployment and opportunity creation.
- Widespread societal optimism about AI’s ability to drive progress in the world’s largest democracy.
He described India as uniquely positioned to adopt AI “democratically at scale,” combining vast population, expertise, and supportive policies.
To support this momentum, OpenAI has ramped up its commitment to India:
- Established a New Delhi office to bolster local operations and partnerships.
- Introduced accessible pricing through plans like ChatGPT Go to reach broader audiences.
- Rolled out targeted training, including programs for over 200 nonprofit leaders across four cities, empowering organizations to use ChatGPT for greater societal impact.
Globally, ChatGPT is approaching 900 million total users, with weekly active figures in the hundreds of millions—meaning roughly one in nine weekly users is from India. This surge underscores the country’s digital boom, youthful demographics, and enthusiasm for AI as a tool for education, professional growth, entrepreneurship, and development.
For Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) worldwide, this milestone holds special resonance. Many NRIs maintain strong ties to family, education, and business in India, where ChatGPT’s rapid penetration reflects the same tech-savvy spirit that has powered India’s global diaspora success in Silicon Valley, startups, and innovation hubs. NRIs often serve as bridges—investing in Indian AI ventures, mentoring talent back home, or collaborating on cross-border projects. India’s leadership in student adoption and overall usage signals exciting opportunities for NRIs to engage with or contribute to this ecosystem, whether through remittances-fueled tech initiatives, remote collaborations, or returning talent driving AI startups.
Altman’s visit and optimistic outlook signal OpenAI’s long-term investment in India as a growth engine and collaborator in building responsible, inclusive AI. The India AI Impact Summit provides a key forum for these conversations, with anticipated announcements on partnerships, infrastructure, and strategies for equitable AI benefits.
As India solidifies its role as a global AI powerhouse—especially among developing nations—this achievement highlights the transformative potential of technology when embraced at massive scale. For NRIs, it’s a proud reminder of India’s rising influence in the AI era and an invitation to stay connected to these dynamic developments.
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