Global AI companies such as ChatGPT and Perplexity are increasingly focused on the Indian market, attracted by its large user base despite the lower revenue potential. These companies are forming partnerships to increase adoption. OpenAI has partnered with educational bodies to distribute licences, while Perplexity has partnered with Airtel to offer free subscriptions to its Pro service. This strategy has propelled Perplexity to the top of the App Store in India, surpassing ChatGPT.
Perplexity's Pro subscription gives users access to advanced AI models, including Claude, Grok 4 and GPT-4.1, as well as features such as image generation and file analysis. Airtel customers can redeem their subscriptions through the Airtel Thanks app, making AI tools more accessible to a broader audience, including students and professionals.
While OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledges India's rapid adoption of AI, he remains sceptical about the country's potential to compete in AI development. Despite this, the increasing presence of global AI companies highlights India's growing importance as a key market for AI adoption and user engagement.
