In a significant milestone for India’s digital landscape, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed on February 15, 2026, that ChatGPT has surpassed 100 million weekly active users in the country. The announcement was made through an exclusive article in The Times of India ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
This figure makes India the second-largest market for ChatGPT globally, trailing only the United States.
Key Highlights of the Growth
The surge in users highlights India’s rapid adoption of generative AI, particularly among the younger demographic.
- World Leader in Student Users: India now has the largest number of students using ChatGPT globally. Altman noted that young people in India are increasingly treating AI as a primary tool to “learn faster and get ahead.”
- Prism Adoption: India also ranks fourth globally in the usage of Prism, OpenAI’s free AI tool designed for scientific research and collaboration.
- Localized Strategy: The growth has been supported by OpenAI’s price-sensitive strategy, including the ChatGPT Go tier (launched in late 2025 for under $5), which was later made free for a year for Indian users.
Strategic Infrastructure & Presence
OpenAI has shifted from treating India as a remote market to a core operational hub:
- New Delhi Office: Opened in August 2025, the office is currently scaling its headcount in sales, strategy, and government relations.
- Government Partnerships: Altman hinted at upcoming announcements for new partnerships with the Indian government to integrate AI into public services, healthcare, and agriculture, aligning with the ₹10,372 crore IndiaAI Mission.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026
Altman is one of many global leaders attending the five-day summit (Feb 16–20) at Bharat Mandapam.
| Leader | Representation |
| Sam Altman | CEO, OpenAI |
| Sundar Pichai | CEO, Google & Alphabet |
| Dario Amodei | CEO, Anthropic |
| Demis Hassabis | CEO, Google DeepMind |
| Mukesh Ambani | Chairman, Reliance Industries |
“India, the world’s largest democracy, has all the ingredients to be a full-stack AI leader… AI will help define India’s future, and India will help define AI’s future—in a way only a democracy can.” — Sam Altman.
