“India is our fastest growing ChatGPT market,” says OpenAI COO

India is emerging as the global epicenter for ChatGPT usage, according to OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap. In a post on X, Lightcap revealed that India is currently OpenAI’s fastest-growing ChatGPT market, just a day after CEO Sam Altman praised India's rapid AI adoption, calling it "amazing."

Lightcap shared astonishing data that paints a picture of the frenzy: over 130 million users have created more than 700 million images using ChatGPT in just one week. “It’s been a very crazy first week for images in ChatGPT,” Lightcap wrote, also highlighting the range of visual creativity coming out of India. The massive surge has taken even the company by surprise.

OpenAI’s AI image tool, recently integrated into GPT-4o, has gone viral for its ability to generate Studio Ghibli-style art. From stylized wedding portraits to anime cricket avatars, users worldwide – and especially in India – have embraced the feature enthusiastically. In fact, Altman shared his own AI-generated anime avatar as a cricketer wearing Team India’s jersey, a move widely seen as a nudge to win over Indian users.

But amid the celebration, Indian entrepreneur Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, offered a sharp critique. Calling India the “MAU farm of the world,” Shah hinted at what this surge really means — a giant pool of user data and potential revenue. MAU, or Monthly Active Users, is a critical metric for platforms like ChatGPT that thrive on user engagement and interactions.

India’s smartphone boom, low data costs, and tech-savvy young population make it a goldmine for AI companies. OpenAI’s recent focus on India, both in features and in leadership commentary, seems like a strategic play to solidify its footprint in the world’s most populous country.

However, the overwhelming demand hasn’t come without hiccups. The company is battling server overloads, GPU shortages, and sporadic outages due to the unanticipated image generation spike. “We appreciate your patience… the team continues to work around the clock,” Lightcap added. Sam Altman even joked that OpenAI’s GPUs were “melting” from the heat.

With India at the center of this storm, it’s clear that AI’s future might just be written in multiple languages – and many of them could be Indian.