OpenAI will start showing ads to users of ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers in India, according to TechCrunch. The rollout adds a new monetization step in a market where OpenAI said in February it had more than 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users. TechCrunch reports that OpenAI said the India program will start with ads for 50 brands. The company has partnered with WPP and Omnicom for the rollout, according to the report. OpenAI also plans to launch an ad manager next month, TechCrunch reports. Marketers will be able to create campaigns through the tool, provided they meet a daily minimum budget of ₹725, or $7.60. Dave Dugan, OpenAI’s head of global ads solutions, said in a statement cited by TechCrunch that ChatGPT Ads would let businesses of every size appear at “relevant, high-context moments” as users begin making decisions. The move follows a change to OpenAI’s terms of service earlier this month indicating that users could see ads while using the AI assistant, according to TechCrunch. India has been a major user-growth market for OpenAI. TechCrunch notes that the company launched a sub-$5 ChatGPT Go plan in India in August 2025, ran a limited promotion that made the tier free for a full year, advertised during cricket tournaments including the Women’s Premier League and Indian Premier League, and more recently hired Uber’s India head to lead expansion in the country. The India rollout also fits a broader ad push. TechCrunch reports that OpenAI started showing ads to U.S. users in February and expanded the program to Europe earlier this month. Ahead of a potential IPO expected this year or next, TechCrunch says OpenAI has been trying to “ramp up and cement” its revenue sources. TechCrunch, citing The Wall Street Journal, says OpenAI recorded $6.7 billion in revenue in the quarter ended June 2026, up from $5.7 billion in the prior quarter. It also cites The Information’s earlier reporting that OpenAI was aiming for 220 million paying subscribers by 2030, with 35 million users paying for Plus and Pro plans at the time of that report. Who benefits: OpenAI benefits if it can monetize India’s large base of Free and Go users. TechCrunch reports that advertisers will be able to create campaigns through an ad manager, and that WPP and Omnicom are agency partners for the rollout. Who's exposed: Indian ChatGPT Free and Go users are the first group affected in this rollout.