OpenAI told users on Thursday that it is adding a commercial layer to its ChatGPT service in India. Starting this week, the AI chatbot will show advertisements to anyone on the free tier or the Go subscription, which costs less than five dollars a month. The company said the first batch of ads will come from 50 brands, selected in partnership with advertising giants WPP and Omnicom.
Ad platform and pricing
Marketers will gain access to a new ad manager that OpenAI plans to launch next month. The tool lets advertisers build campaigns that appear at moments when users are making decisions, according to Dave Dugan, head of global ads solutions at OpenAI. Campaigns must meet a daily minimum budget of ₹725, roughly $7.60, a threshold intended to keep the offering accessible to small and midsize businesses.
Strategic backdrop
India represents a massive market for the company. OpenAI estimates more than 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users in the country, a large share of whom are on the free or Go plans. The firm has spent the past year courting Indian users, rolling out a sub‑$5 Go plan in August 2025 and even offering that tier free for an entire year during a limited promotion. High‑visibility ads during the Women’s Premier League and the Indian Premier League helped raise awareness, and the lab recently hired the former head of Uber India to steer its expansion.
Earlier this year, OpenAI began showing ads to U.S. users in February, then extended the program to Europe in March. The ad rollout in India marks the third major market where the company is testing a hybrid model of subscription and ad‑supported access. Industry analysts see the shift as a way to boost the lab’s top line ahead of a potential initial public offering, which executives expect could happen this year or next.
Financial filings show the strategy is already paying off. The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI generated $6.7 billion in revenue for the quarter ending June 2026, up from $5.7 billion the prior quarter. The Information noted that the company aims to reach 220 million paying subscribers by 2030; as of last November, 35 million users were on its Plus or Pro plans.
By weaving ads into the chat experience, OpenAI hopes to capture the attention of users at “high‑context moments” when they are researching products or services. The company says the move will let businesses of every size introduce themselves without disrupting the core conversational capabilities of ChatGPT.
OpenAI’s ad rollout in India underscores a broader industry trend: AI platforms are looking for sustainable monetization paths beyond premium subscriptions. Whether users will accept sponsored content in a tool they rely on for everything from homework help to work‑related queries remains to be seen, but the company appears confident the model will deepen its revenue streams while keeping the service free for the majority of its audience.
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