OpenAI is bringing ChatGPT ads to India, its second-largest market. Ads begin appearing this week for logged-in adults on the free and Go tiers, starting with more than 50 brands supported by agencies WPP and Omnicom.
How ChatGPT ads work
Ads appear below relevant ChatGPT answers, labelled as sponsored and visually separate from the response. OpenAI says they do not influence what ChatGPT tells you, and advertisers never see conversations, chat history or personal details — only aggregate performance data. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education tiers stay ad-free.
A self-serve ads manager opens September 4 with a minimum daily budget of ₹725 ($7.60). The programme has spread market by market since its February US test, reaching the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea earlier this month before India.
“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
India carries real weight for the revenue story. OpenAI said in February that ChatGPT had more than 100 million weekly active users there, and Go was built for the market as a sub-$5 tier. The company reported $6.7 billion in revenue in the quarter ended June, per The Wall Street Journal, and has set its sights on 220 million paying subscribers by 2030.
ChatGPT ads and the UAE
OpenAI has not announced ChatGPT ads for the UAE. Free-tier users here will not see them for now, and paid tiers remain ad-free wherever the programme runs. The rollout pattern — US, Europe, now India — points to new markets arriving as the pilot matures, but nothing is confirmed for the region. When ads do land, OpenAI has said free users can opt out in exchange for fewer daily messages.
The UAE already hosts one of OpenAI’s three global inference regions. A Gulf rollout has not been announced.
Will ChatGPT ads appear in the UAE?
OpenAI has not announced ChatGPT ads for the UAE. Free-tier users in the region are unaffected for now, and paid tiers stay ad-free wherever the programme runs.
Which ChatGPT plans show ads?
In India, ads run on the free and Go tiers for logged-in adults. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education subscriptions do not show ads.
Can I opt out of ChatGPT ads?
OpenAI has said free-tier users can opt out of ads in exchange for fewer daily messages, a choice it first offered in its US test.
How much does it cost to advertise on ChatGPT?
The self-serve ads manager opens September 4 with a minimum daily budget of ₹725, about $7.60. The initial India rollout is handled through agencies WPP and Omnicom.
