OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Ads to India

OpenAI, a US-based artificial intelligence company, has announced the expansion of its 'ChatGPT Ads' to India, one of its largest markets. The rollout will show ads to logged-in adults on the Free and Go tiers, with the latter priced at Rs 399 per month in India.

The sponsored products or services featured in the ads will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT responses and will be clearly labelled and visually separate from ChatGPT's answers.

In a statement, OpenAI said that it plans to start testing ads in ChatGPT free and Go tiers in the coming weeks, with a focus on putting user trust and transparency first.

Paid subscribers on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education tiers will continue to enjoy ad-free service. The company also assured that users' chats, chat history, memories, or personal details are inaccessible to advertisers and that it does not sell user data to advertisers.

Advertisers will instead receive aggregate campaign-performance information, such as impressions and clicks. OpenAI also said that ads will not be shown to accounts where the user has indicated they are under 18, or where the company determines that the user is a minor.

Ads will also not appear alongside sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health, or politics. Over 50 brands are expected to go live with ads this week, and the firm plans to offer self-serve access to ChatGPT Ads Manager in India from September 4.

Businesses can sign up for daily budgets starting at Rs 725. ChatGPT has crossed the 1 billion weekly global user mark, with India being its second-largest market, having over 100 million weekly users across students, developers, educators, and enterprises.

OpenAI first announced plans to start testing ads within ChatGPT in January 2026, to diversify its revenue streams and drive expansion. The ad pilot began in the United States in February and has since expanded to several countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

The expansion of ChatGPT Ads to India is a significant step for OpenAI, as it looks to further monetize its popular chatbot ahead of a planned initial public offering (IPO).

The move is expected to have a significant impact on the Indian market, with many businesses looking to leverage the platform to reach their target audience.

In the long run, the expansion of ChatGPT Ads to India is likely to contribute to the growth of the country's digital advertising market, which is expected to continue growing in the coming years.

As OpenAI continues to expand its services and reach new markets, it is likely to face increasing competition from other players in the industry. However, with its strong focus on user trust and transparency, OpenAI is well-positioned to maintain its lead in the market.