OpenAI will start showing ads on ChatGPT’s Free and Go subscription tiers in India, bringing advertising to one of the company’s largest user markets.
The move was announced on Thursday and follows a recent change to OpenAI’s terms of service indicating that ads could be shown to users while they interact with the AI assistant.
OpenAI said in February that ChatGPT had more than 100 million weekly active users in India. A large proportion of those users are on the free or lower-priced Go plans, making India an important market for the company’s advertising rollout.
OpenAI said it will initially show ads from 50 brands. The company has partnered with advertising agencies WPP and Omnicom as part of the launch.
OpenAI also plans to introduce an ad manager next month. The tool will allow marketers to create advertising campaigns for their businesses, with campaigns requiring a minimum daily budget of ₹725 ($7.60).
“With ChatGPT Ads, businesses of every size can introduce themselves at relevant, high-context moments when decisions are beginning to take shape,” Dave Dugan, head of global ads solutions at OpenAI, said in a statement.
OpenAI has invested heavily in building its user base in India. It launched the sub-$5 ChatGPT Go plan in the country in August 2025 and later ran a limited promotion offering the tier free for a full year.
The company has also promoted its products during major sporting events, including the Women’s Premier League and Indian Premier League cricket tournaments.
More recently, OpenAI hired Uber’s India head to lead its expansion in the country, highlighting the importance of the market to the company’s growth plans.
The latest rollout follows OpenAI’s launch of ads for US users in February. The company expanded the advertising programme to Europe earlier this month.
OpenAI has been working to strengthen and diversify its revenue sources ahead of a potential IPO, which is expected this year or next.
According to The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI generated $6.7 billion in revenue during the second quarter ended June 2026. That was up from $5.7 billion in the previous quarter.
The company is also targeting significant growth in paid subscriptions. The Information reported last November that OpenAI was aiming to reach 220 million paying ChatGPT subscribers by 2030.
At the time of that report, around 35 million users were paying for ChatGPT Plus and Pro plans.
