US-based artificial intelligence company OpenAI has announced plans to expand ChatGPT Ads to India, one of its largest markets, as it seeks to further monetise its popular chatbot ahead of a planned initial public offering (IPO).

The rollout will show ads to logged-in adults using the Free and Go tiers, with the latter priced at Rs 399 per month in India. ChatGPT will display sponsored products and services at the bottom of its responses.

OpenAI said it will clearly label the advertisements and visually separate them from ChatGPT’s answers.

Paid subscribers on the Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education tiers will continue to use ChatGPT without ads.

The company said advertisers cannot access users’ chats, chat history, memories or personal details. OpenAI also said it does not sell user data to advertisers. Instead, advertisers will receive aggregated campaign-performance data, including information on impressions and clicks.

Ads Excluded From Sensitive Topics

OpenAI said it will not show ads to accounts where users have indicated they are under 18 or where the company determines that a user is a minor. The company will also keep ads away from sensitive or regulated topics, including health, mental health and politics.

OpenAI expects more than 50 brands to launch ads this week. The company also plans to provide businesses with self-serve access to ChatGPT Ads Manager in India from September 4. Businesses will be able to sign up for daily advertising budgets starting at Rs 725.

ChatGPT crossed the 1 billion weekly global user mark earlier this month. India remains its second-largest market, with more than 100 million weekly users across students, developers, educators and enterprises as of February 2026.

OpenAI first announced plans to test ads on ChatGPT in January 2026 as it looked to diversify its revenue streams and support further expansion.

The company began its ad pilot in the United States in February. The initiative crossed $100 million in annualised revenue within six weeks of its launch before expanding to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea.

Last week, OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Ads to 31 European countries, including Germany, France and Spain.