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- India becomes biggest market for ChatGPT Images 2.0 as users embrace AI portraits and avatars
India becomes biggest market for ChatGPT Images 2.0 as users embrace AI portraits and avatars
OpenAI says India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0 just days after launch. While adoption in India has been strong, global growth remains relatively moderate, according to third-party data.
Right out of the gate, India grabbed the spotlight as the top market for ChatGPT Images 2.0, OpenAI’s latest upgrade for AI-generated images. According to the company, no other country comes close to India’s usage numbers since the feature launched last week. People aren’t just creating sharper images—they're able to generate accurate text in multiple languages inside those images, and they are throwing more complex ideas at the model than ever before.
Sure, there is excitement, but if you zoom out and look at the world, the vibe is a lot more subdued. Global usage, according to data reviewed by TechCrunch, isn’t skyrocketing just yet. Sensor Tower reports that downloads of the ChatGPT app only nudged up 11 per cent last week, with daily active users and sessions up by about 1 per cent. Similarweb’s numbers back this up—site visits just ticked up 1.6 per cent worldwide.
Bottom line is that there is buzz, but not a tidal wave.
India, though, stands out. It outpaced every other country with around 5 million downloads during launch week. The U.S. managed less than half that—2 million. Daily active users in India jumped 3.4 per cent from the previous week, way ahead of bigger economies where adoption has moved more slowly.
So, what’s everyone in India doing with ChatGPT Images 2.0?
It’s less about business reports and more about showing who they are. Think anime-style avatars, stylised portraits based on regular selfies, new shots for social media profiles, fantasy-inspired magazine covers, tarot art, fashion mood boards, photo restorations, and dramatic portrait collages. AI isn’t just a productivity tool here—it’s becoming part of how people express themselves.
And it’s not just India waking up to this trend. Emerging markets like Pakistan, Vietnam, and Indonesia all saw explosive week-over-week growth. Some countries clocked in with download surges as high as 79%.
One big reason for India’s early lead?
ChatGPT Images 2.0 finally gets non-Latin scripts right. It can generate crisp, accurate text in Hindi, Bengali, and a bunch of other languages, making it way more useful for a huge chunk of Indian users.
In short, India’s already turned ChatGPT Images 2.0 into a creative playground, leaving other markets to play catch-up. The world’s still getting on board, but in India, people are already building, sharing, and reinventing themselves with AI.