India talks tech as ChatGPT rolls out Its biggest desi debut yet

MUMBAI: If India ever needed proof that artificial intelligence now speaks its language literally ChatGPT just delivered it with cinematic flair. OpenAI has launched its first-ever nationwide omnichannel brand campaign in India, rolling out across TV, OTT, print, digital, and OOH in a move that feels less like a tech announcement and more like a cultural coming-of-age moment.

The campaign arrives on the heels of three India-centric product launches, Study Mode designed for students, the ultra-affordable ChatGPT Go subscription plan, and IndQA, OpenAI’s new benchmark to evaluate AI accuracy on Indian languages and cultural context. The message is unmistakable, India isn’t just a user market, it’s a design partner.

At the centre of the campaign are two emotionally grounded, reality-inspired films shot by acclaimed photographer-filmmaker Bharat Sikka. With ChatGPT’s voice-first, regional-language abilities taking the spotlight, the films show how everyday Indians are using AI to push past hesitation, build confidence, and make possibilities feel a little more reachable.

“We believe you shouldn’t have to switch languages to access AI,” said OpenAI head of marketing for India Sheeladitya Mohanty. “This campaign is inspired by real stories where ChatGPT became a trusted companion helping people learn, create, prepare, communicate and grow in the language they’re most comfortable in.”

The films will release in Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, representing the linguistic diversity that powers India’s digital universe. The first film now live follows a young woman preparing for a job interview, using ChatGPT as her patient coach, confidence-builder, and language-friendly guide. It’s a quiet but stirring portrait of ambition meeting access.

The campaign is set for a wide sweep, airing on television, streaming platforms, digital video formats, print dailies, and high-visibility outdoor sites across metros.

Meanwhile, since early November, ChatGPT Go has been made available free for 12 months to eligible users in India who sign up during a limited-period promotional window spanning the web, Android and iOS apps further signalling OpenAI’s intent to make AI both accessible and affordable at scale.

With its multilingual, voice-led storytelling and India-first feature slate, ChatGPT’s latest push signals a future where AI doesn’t sit above culture, it sits within it. And for a nation that thinks, dreams and hustles in dozens of languages, that’s a conversation worth amplifying.