OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity are offering free access to their premium AI tools in India to expand users and accelerate adoption in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.
OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity have made their premium AI tools freely accessible in India, signalling an aggressive push to grow their user base in one of the world’s fastest-expanding digital markets.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Go plan, previously priced at $54, is now free for Indian users for one year, allowing higher usage than standard ChatGPT versions. Perplexity has similarly made its Pro plan—costing $200 globally—free for a year for Airtel customers, granting unlimited access to its most advanced research tools.
India has emerged as a critical battleground for AI firms, with around 730 million smartphone users and some of the cheapest mobile data rates globally. Users consume roughly 21 GB per month at just 9.2 cents per GB, making heavy AI usage far more affordable than in most other markets.
These free-access initiatives have driven massive adoption. Sensor Tower data shows daily active users of ChatGPT in India surged 607% year-on-year to 73 million, surpassing the United States and making India the largest market by daily chatbot users. Perplexity’s India daily users now account for over one-third of its global user base, up from just 7% last year. Engagement data from November indicates 46% of ChatGPT’s monthly users open the app daily, compared with 20% for Perplexity and 14% for Gemini.
By opening premium AI tools to a broad Indian audience, these companies are democratising access, encouraging experimentation, and accelerating adoption—especially among developers, students, and startups who may not be able to afford paid plans. The move positions India as a strategic testing ground for scaling AI solutions at massive volume.
