OpenAI said Thursday that India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0 since its release last week. But third-party data reviewed by TechCrunch points to a more cautious global response, with overall growth limited along with a surge in some emerging markets.
OpenAI’s latest image generation upgrade, ChatGPT Images 2.0, is designed to handle more complex prompts and produce detailed visuals with accurate text across multiple languages. The company’s early patterns suggest that users, particularly in India, its largest market, are using it to create personal visuals such as avatars, stylized portraits, and fantasy-themed images.
Data shared with TechCrunch by Sensor Tower and Similarweb suggests this development led to a more mixed reaction globally. According to Sensor Tower, ChatGPT’s app downloads increased 11% week-over-week after its release, but overall engagement increased modestly, with daily active users and sessions increasing by only about 1%. Similarweb data also shows that ChatGPT’s global web traffic growth has been limited, increasing by approximately 1.6% week over week over the same period.
However, some emerging markets, including Pakistan, Vietnam, and Indonesia, saw a sharp increase in ChatGPT app downloads, increasing up to 79% week-over-week during the rollout period, according to Sensor Tower data.
Meanwhile, India remained a major source of activity during the deployment. According to Sensor Tower estimates, ChatGPT was downloaded approximately 5 million times in India during its launch week, compared to approximately 2 million downloads in the United States, although week-over-week growth remained modest. Data from Similarweb also shows that the uptick in engagement has been limited, with daily active users in India increasing by about 3.4% week-on-week during the same period.
In India, early trends suggest that ChatGPT Images 2.0 is primarily used as a form of self-expression. OpenAI says users create studio-style portraits from everyday photos, social media-ready images, and imaginative visuals that center themselves, rather than purely functional output.
Early patterns also highlight how adoption of AI imaging tools varies by market. India’s large user base is driving overall size, while the surge in countries like Pakistan and Indonesia shows the strength of demand for new users in emerging markets after launch.
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OpenAI’s Images 2.0 announcement comes as competition in AI image generation intensifies. Google’s early image-focused model, the original Nano Banana, also saw strong early traction in India, showing that the country has become an important market for image generation.
With the new ChatGPT Images release, OpenAI is pushing further improvements such as improved rendering of non-Latin text, including Hindi and Bengali, and a new “Think” feature that allows you to adjust output to generate multiple variations from a single prompt.
According to OpenAI, early Images 2.0 users in India are experimenting with a wider range of formats than just stylized portraits and avatars, from fantasy newspaper covers to tarot-like visuals and fashion mood boards. The company says users are also using the AI tool to restore old photos and create cinematic portrait collages, suggesting an earlier, more personal usage pattern.
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