OpenAI is bringing advertising to ChatGPT in India, extending its ads programme to users on the Free and lower-priced Go plans as the artificial intelligence company expands its advertising business into one of its largest markets.
The rollout will initially include campaigns from 50 brands, with OpenAI partnering with advertising groups WPP and Omnicom for the launch. The company also plans to introduce an Ads Manager in September, allowing marketers to create and manage campaigns directly. Campaigns will require a minimum daily budget of ₹725, according to TechCrunch.
Ads can appear below ChatGPT responses and are displayed separately from the assistant's answers with sponsored labels. OpenAI says advertising does not influence the answers generated by ChatGPT, and advertisers cannot shape or alter responses. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts will remain ad-free.
The company also says conversations remain private from advertisers. Advertisers do not receive users' chats, chat history, memories or personal details, although OpenAI provides aggregated advertising performance information such as total views and clicks.
The India launch gives marketers access to a sizeable ChatGPT audience. OpenAI said in February that ChatGPT had crossed 100 million weekly active users in India. The company has been expanding its presence in the country since launching ChatGPT Go in India in August 2025 as a lower-cost subscription tier.
Dave Dugan, Head of Global Ads Solutions at OpenAI, said the advertising product is designed to allow businesses to reach users during relevant moments when they are exploring options and beginning to make decisions.
For advertisers, the format introduces a different environment from conventional search and social media advertising. ChatGPT conversations can involve users researching products, comparing options or seeking recommendations, creating potential opportunities for brands to appear alongside high-intent interactions. However, the sponsored placement remains separate from the AI-generated response.
The India expansion follows OpenAI's initial advertising test in the US, which began in February 2026. The company subsequently expanded ChatGPT Ads to the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea in August, followed by plans to enter 31 European markets.
OpenAI has positioned advertising as a way to support broader access to its AI services while helping fund the infrastructure required for its Free and Go offerings. The company has said its approach is intended to maintain separation between commercial placements and ChatGPT's responses.
India's addition to the programme also opens a new advertising channel for brands as AI assistants increasingly become part of consumer discovery and decision-making. The launch will test how marketers use conversational AI environments alongside established search, social and commerce advertising platforms.
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