Urban AI Hubs
OpenAI's inaugural analysis into India's AI 'Capability Gap' paints a compelling picture of technology adoption, revealing a pronounced concentration in its
leading urban centers. The study indicates that a substantial half of all ChatGPT users hail from the top ten cities, a group that collectively represents a mere tenth of India's vast population. This pattern suggests that advanced AI tools are being leveraged predominantly by a specific segment of the populace residing in these metropolitan hubs. Notably, the Delhi-NCR region stands out as the epicenter for ChatGPT engagement, signifying its pivotal role in the nation's burgeoning AI landscape. This trend underscores a key finding: while India is globally recognized for its prowess in AI-related fields like coding and data analysis, the practical application of tools like ChatGPT is disproportionately concentrated in these major cities compared to peer nations such as the US, UK, Brazil, and Germany.
Bridging the Gap
The findings presented by OpenAI present a clear call to action, identifying a substantial opportunity to extend the reach of AI tools beyond the initial wave of enthusiasts primarily located in major urban areas. The concept of a 'capability gap' or 'capability overhang' in AI, as previously articulated by OpenAI's chief Fidji Simo, refers to the disparity between the advanced functionalities of current AI models and their everyday practical utilization. Simo's 2026 roadmap emphasizes closing this divide by transforming cutting-edge research into products that offer tangible benefits to individuals, businesses, and developers. This initial report from OpenAI offers unprecedented insight into the geographical distribution of ChatGPT usage within India, a market that boasts over 100 million weekly active users. The data clearly demonstrates that despite AI's potential as an equalizer, its adoption is far from uniform across different regions within the country, challenging the notion of technology as an automatic democratizer.
Specialized AI Use
The study delves deeper, showcasing specific areas where AI, particularly ChatGPT, is being utilized. India ranks among the top five nations globally for its users' engagement with reasoning tokens, which are integral to advanced AI models performing complex, step-by-step problem-solving, especially among ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Furthermore, the adoption of Codex, OpenAI's AI coding assistant, witnessed a remarkable four-fold increase in India within just two weeks of its app's launch in February 2026, indicating a strong propensity for advanced coding and data analysis tasks. However, the report also highlights a significant regional disparity in Codex usage, with advanced applications concentrated in urban centers like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Chennai, showing a nine-fold gap across different areas. Conversely, India's eastern states, including Assam, Odisha, Manipur, Tripura, and Chhattisgarh, exhibit higher engagement with ChatGPT for educational purposes. Assam, for instance, sees 22% of its messages to ChatGPT related to learning, approximately 20% above the national average. Similarly, regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala show increased interaction with ChatGPT for health and wellness queries, with nearly one in ten messages from Jammu and Kashmir users pertaining to health topics, about 32% higher than the national average.
Future Expansion Efforts
To foster broader and more inclusive AI adoption across India, OpenAI is actively pursuing initiatives aimed at bridging the identified capability gap. These efforts are intricately linked to factors such as language accessibility, affordability, and the availability of robust infrastructure. OpenAI has been organizing regular engagement events focused on Codex, collaborating with local partners to scale AI-native software development. A notable partnership with fintech firm Razorpay aims to empower developers to create and monetize their products directly through Codex. Furthermore, OpenAI is forging collaborations with Indian universities to promote the use of its specialized ChatGPT Edu product among students. These strategic actions are designed to democratize access to AI tools, move beyond early adopters, and cultivate a more widespread understanding and application of AI technologies throughout the nation, recognizing the pivotal role of India's youthful and rapidly adopting population in shaping the future of AI integration.
