Artificial intelligence companies racing to expand in India are not just chasing customers — they are enlisting millions of users to help train AI models for the world.
Google and Perplexity AI are offering their services free for 12 to 18 months through partnerships with local telecom providers Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, while OpenAI has made its ChatGPT Go plan free nationwide for one year.
“India stands at the intersection of youth, digital fluency and rapid AI adoption,” said Sharmila Senthilraja, VP and industry platform leader at Capgemini India.
Low internet costs and a strong digital foundation have enabled consumers aged 18 to 35 to experiment freely with emerging technologies, Senthilraja said. Half of India’s internet users report using some form of AI, she added.
India has one of the highest smartphone and internet penetration rates in the world. “With over 700 million internet users and widespread smartphone penetration, India generates massive volumes of data, which is the fuel for training AI models,” a Boston Consulting Group report said in June.
