India enters the AI tool “zero-cost” era! OpenAI, Google and others think: get them hooked first, then charge later
Global AI Giants Intensify Push into India
Date: 2025-11-10 13:26, Zhejiang
Over recent months, leading artificial intelligence companies have made bold, frequent moves in India, signalling a fierce battle for market dominance.
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1. Free AI Tools: The New Competition Strategy
Recent Major Announcements
- Perplexity AI + Airtel (July):
- Airtel, India’s #2 mobile network, offers Perplexity Pro free in India.
- Normally ₹17,000/year (~RMB 1,365).
- Signals openness to further collaborations.
- Jio + Google (November):
- For ages 18–25, Gemini Pro free for 18 months.
- Value ~₹35,000 (~RMB 2,810).
- OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Go (November 4, 2025):
- One-year free promotion targeting millions in India.
- Includes access to GPT-5, advanced image generation, file analysis, and custom GPT creation.
- After 12 months: ₹399/month (~RMB 32).
ChatGPT Go: Mid-tier plan between free and Plus:
- Extended GPT-5 access
- Higher image generation quota
- File upload + advanced document/spreadsheet analysis
- Powerful Python-based data exploration
- Longer memory retention
- Larger context window
- Built-in project/task management
- Custom GPT editing
Impact: Bundling AI tools with ultra-low-cost mobile data could reduce monthly spending to under ₹50 (~RMB 4.3), radically lowering adoption barriers.
Market Response:
- Perplexity downloads in India grew 600% YoY (Q2) → 2.8M installs.
- OpenAI ChatGPT downloads up 587% YoY → 46.7M installs.
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Why Are Tech Giants Doing This?
Analyst Insight:
> “First hook users, then upsell services,” — Tarun Pathak, Counterpoint Research.
Strategic Reasons:
- India’s huge, youthful user base.
- Open, competitive digital market.
- Less restrictive regulations than other large markets.
Goal:
- Rapidly grow adoption.
- Expand AI training datasets.
- Build long-term user dependency.
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Creator Opportunity
With AI adoption rising, platforms like AiToEarn官网 let creators:
- Generate and publish AI content across Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, X.
- Access analytics and AI model rankings.
- Monetize content globally through a unified ecosystem.
- More info: AiToEarn核心应用
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2. Tech Giants Don’t Do Loss-Making Business
India’s Digital Landscape
- Digital India Initiative → near-universal 3G/4G coverage.
- 95.15% of villages online (April 2024).
- Internet users: 251.6M (2014) → 954.4M (2024).
- 900M+ active users, most <24 years old.
- Lowest global data tariffs — heavy mobile internet dependency.
Opportunity:
Bundling AI services with data plans = frequent usage → massive data collection by companies.
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AI Workforce Growth
- NASSCOM Forecast (2024):
- Workforce: 650K (now) → 1.27M by 2027 (CAGR 15%).
- By Aug 2025: 865K trainees in emerging tech.
- 320K in AI & big data analytics.
Quote:
> “India will become the world’s robot training capital and a major global data-cleaning hub,” — Saurabh Mukherjea.
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Privacy Concerns
- Many users give data away freely for convenience.
- No AI-specific laws yet.
- DPDP Act (2023): covers digital privacy but not yet enacted.
Global Comparison:
- EU: Strict transparency & data governance.
- South Korea: Mandatory AI content labelling, vendor liability.
Expert View:
> “We need light-touch regulation now, but the framework must evolve as risks grow,” — Prasanto K Roy.
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3. Netizen Reactions
Key Themes from Reddit & Hacker News
- Skepticism: “This is just a bubble — users will be squeezed dry.”
- Historical parallel: Jio’s free/cheap strategy → later high prices + monopolization.
- Dependency Building: Aim to make next-gen unable to function without AI.
- Investment Strategy: Even 1% paying → huge revenue.
- Feature Feedback: Minor improvements but free tier still limited (“uploads prompt paywall”).
> “If something is free, you are the product.”
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Open-Source Alternatives
Platforms like AiToEarn官网 may help:
- Avoid vendor lock-in.
- Enable broader monetization of AI creativity.
- Provide analytics & ranking transparency (AI模型排名).
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Today's Recommended Articles
- Perplexity Eyes India as a Shortcut in Its Race Against OpenAI – TechCrunch
- Google, OpenAI, and Perplexity Bet on India to Train the Next Generation of AI – CNBC
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Selected Reads
- Sam's Club App Sparks “Alibaba Flavor” Debate
- Humanoid Robot Competition Intensifies
- Dialogue On Whether AI Is in a Bubble
- PyTorch Founder Steps Down After 8 Years
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Event Preview
AICon 2025 Year-End Edition · Beijing
Dates: Dec 19–20
Focus topics:
- Agents
- Context Engineering
- AI Product Innovation
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For more, explore:
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