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ET OnlineOpenAI has ranked India among the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence markets, highlighting strong usage in coding, data analysis and complex reasoning, even as adoption remains concentrated in a few urban centres.
In its first “Capability Gap” findings for India, the company said the country is among the top five globally in “thinking capability usage per person” — measured through reasoning tokens used by ChatGPT Plus users. Indian users, it noted, are increasingly using AI tools to solve complex problems and engage in advanced workflows.
Also Read: OpenAI investors question $852 billion valuation as strategy shifts: Report
India is also emerging as one of the fastest-growing AI builder ecosystems. OpenAI said usage of its Codex developer tool grew fourfold within two weeks of its launch in February 2026, alongside high engagement in coding and data analysis tasks.
“The central question now is how quickly the benefits of AI can extend beyond early adopters and leading cities to the wider population,” said Oliver Jay, Managing Director (International) at OpenAI, adding that expanding access and building skills will be key to bridging the gap.
AI adoption in India concentrated in top cities
The report said the top 10 cities in India account for around 50% of all AI users, despite representing less than 10% of the population. Delhi NCR leads the country in ChatGPT penetration.
The gap widens in advanced use cases. Data analysis usage is up to 30 times higher in leading cities compared to lagging regions, while coding usage is four times higher. Usage of AI developer tools like Codex shows a ninefold difference.
Major tech hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai are driving much of this advanced AI adoption in India.
AI use cases in education and healthcare grow in smaller regions
Beyond metros, OpenAI said AI usage in India is growing in sectors like education and healthcare.
States such as Assam, Odisha, Manipur, Tripura and Chhattisgarh are seeing higher engagement in education-related queries. In Assam, 22% of messages are linked to learning, about 20% above the national average.
In healthcare and wellness, regions including Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala are seeing higher usage. In Jammu & Kashmir, nearly 1 in 10 messages relate to health, around 32% above the national average.
Also Read: Acquisition count rises: Inside OpenAI's major deals in 2026
India’s AI growth hinges on wider access
The report highlights a widening “capability gap” within India, where advanced AI usage is clustered in a few cities, while a large population remains underserved.
OpenAI said the next phase of AI growth in India will depend on expanding access through better infrastructure, affordability and language support.
The company is also ramping up partnerships to boost adoption, including collaborations with Tata Consultancy Services and Razorpay, along with developer programmes, university partnerships and localised AI use cases.
The findings position India as a leading AI market globally, while underscoring the need to scale adoption beyond early users — a factor that could shape the country’s digital and economic growth in the coming years.
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In its first “Capability Gap” findings for India, the company said the country is among the top five globally in “thinking capability usage per person” — measured through reasoning tokens used by ChatGPT Plus users. Indian users, it noted, are increasingly using AI tools to solve complex problems and engage in advanced workflows.
Also Read: OpenAI investors question $852 billion valuation as strategy shifts: Report
India is also emerging as one of the fastest-growing AI builder ecosystems. OpenAI said usage of its Codex developer tool grew fourfold within two weeks of its launch in February 2026, alongside high engagement in coding and data analysis tasks.
“The central question now is how quickly the benefits of AI can extend beyond early adopters and leading cities to the wider population,” said Oliver Jay, Managing Director (International) at OpenAI, adding that expanding access and building skills will be key to bridging the gap.
AI adoption in India concentrated in top cities
The report said the top 10 cities in India account for around 50% of all AI users, despite representing less than 10% of the population. Delhi NCR leads the country in ChatGPT penetration.
The gap widens in advanced use cases. Data analysis usage is up to 30 times higher in leading cities compared to lagging regions, while coding usage is four times higher. Usage of AI developer tools like Codex shows a ninefold difference.
Major tech hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai are driving much of this advanced AI adoption in India.
AI use cases in education and healthcare grow in smaller regions
Beyond metros, OpenAI said AI usage in India is growing in sectors like education and healthcare.
States such as Assam, Odisha, Manipur, Tripura and Chhattisgarh are seeing higher engagement in education-related queries. In Assam, 22% of messages are linked to learning, about 20% above the national average.
In healthcare and wellness, regions including Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala are seeing higher usage. In Jammu & Kashmir, nearly 1 in 10 messages relate to health, around 32% above the national average.
Also Read: Acquisition count rises: Inside OpenAI's major deals in 2026
India’s AI growth hinges on wider access
The report highlights a widening “capability gap” within India, where advanced AI usage is clustered in a few cities, while a large population remains underserved.
OpenAI said the next phase of AI growth in India will depend on expanding access through better infrastructure, affordability and language support.
The company is also ramping up partnerships to boost adoption, including collaborations with Tata Consultancy Services and Razorpay, along with developer programmes, university partnerships and localised AI use cases.
The findings position India as a leading AI market globally, while underscoring the need to scale adoption beyond early users — a factor that could shape the country’s digital and economic growth in the coming years.
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