OpenAI, Google, Perplexity offer free AI tools to tap India data

OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity are offering free AI subscriptions in India to attract users and gather multilingual data for training their models.

India, which has 730 million smartphone users and some of the world’s cheapest data rates, has become the top market for daily users of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, according to Sensor Tower.

Google’s US$400 Gemini AI Pro subscription is free for 18 months to 500 million Reliance Jio customers, and its discounted “AI Plus” package is now available in India.

OpenAI made its ChatGPT Go plan free for a year in India, while Perplexity is giving Airtel users free access to its US$200 Pro tool for a year.

Analysts say these free offers help companies collect diverse language data needed to improve AI models.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

India’s data protection law may limit how these AI companies use the data they’re collecting

India finalized the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) and its Rules in November 2025 1. Consent must be free, specific, and informed. It must be unconditional and unambiguous 1.
It is unclear whether the framework permits using conversations for model training (i.e., using conversation logs to improve AI systems) without separate consent that is purpose-specific and unambiguous 2.
Cross-border data transfers (moving personal data outside India) need compliance mechanisms under the DPDPA 2, which could complicate sending Indian user data to offshore training.
Companies have 18 months to reach full operational compliance 3. Ambiguity around reasonable purpose (a legal ground that may allow processing without consent) and consent for AI training could limit the long term data gains from free offers 2.

Privacy compliance tools are likely to see strong demand from Indian AI startups and apps

The DPDPA and its Rules require consent management with data mapping 3. They also require breach notification with retention controls 3.
Millions of apps in India create demand for third-party consent platforms and privacy Software Development Kits (SDKs). Governance automation services help codify policies and automate compliance workflows. These tools help smaller companies comply. Consent managers (intermediaries that help users manage permissions across services) widen this market 1.
Software as a Service (SaaS) firms and privacy tech vendors see a new market in India 3. Clear legal standards for user data support demand for compliance tools 3.