OpenAI Skips India In The First Few Rollout Of ChatGPT iOS App

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has launched its app on iOS for users in 11 more countries, including Croatia, France, Albania, Germany, Ireland, Jamaica, Korea, Nicaragua, and the UK, but India has been kept on the waiting list for now.

Launched first in the US on May 18, the app will be available in more countries soon, said the California-based startup’s CTO Mira Murati in a tweet. ChatGPT app is currently not available for Android devices. 

Launched as a web version for public use late last year, generative AI ChatGPT has gained significant traction globally, including in India. OpenAI also launched ChatGPT Plus paid subscription service in India in March this year.

ChatGPT Plus allows users general access to the AI chatbot ChatGPT, has a faster response time even during peak times, and priority access to new features and improvements. ChatGPT has found its use cases across domains – from helping compose essays to writing codes.

Amid the rising popularity of ChatGPT, there has also been an increased focus in the country to leverage AI technology across sectors. The Indian government has made several announcements to enhance the country’s AI ecosystem.

Besides, an Indian startup, named Writesonic, also claimed that it developed a chatbot service like ChatGPT prior to the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

The Indian government is also building a ChatGPT-like chatbot helpline as a grievance redressal system to help consumers converse in multiple Indian languages through audio messages.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT currently supports only Hindi, besides English, among the Indian languages. However, its proficiency in Hindi is lower than that of English.

Meanwhile, OpenAI has already started facing the pangs of tightening regulations in some parts of the world. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently said that ChatGPT might consider leaving Europe if it fails to comply with the upcoming EU AI Act, which he believes would be “over-regulating”.

While enhancing its ChatGPT offerings globally, OpeaAI also launched the OpenAI Startup Fund to back AI startups. It raised $175 Mn for the investment fund, as per the latest regulatory filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Altman also announced plans to visit New Delhi in May or June during which he would meet policymakers.