OpenAI announced it will start showing ads on its ChatGPT Free and Go subscription tiers in India. The move follows a change in the company’s terms of service earlier this month, which indicated it would show ads to users while they used the AI assistant. OpenAI said it has more than 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users in India, a significant portion of whom are on the free or lower-priced Go tiers. The company plans to launch an ad manager next month, allowing marketers to create campaigns with a daily minimum budget of ₹725 ($7.60).
Dave Dugan, head of global ads solutions at OpenAI, stated, “With ChatGPT Ads, businesses of every size can introduce themselves at relevant, high-context moments when decisions are beginning to take shape.” OpenAI has invested heavily in its Indian user base, launching a sub-$5 plan for ChatGPT Go in August 2025 and running a limited promo that made the tier free for a full year. The company also heavily advertised its products during major sports events, such as the Women’s Premier League and the Indian Premier League cricket leagues.
OpenAI has been working to expand its revenue streams ahead of a potential IPO expected this year or next. According to The Wall Street Journal, the AI lab recorded $6.7 billion in revenue for the second quarter ended June 2026, up from $5.7 billion the previous quarter. Last November, The Information reported that OpenAI aimed to reach 220 million paying users by 2030, with 35 million users already paying for its Plus and Pro plans.
Source: techcrunch
