If you are familiar with Mumbai, you will know that Juhu Circle in the western suburbs is ring-fenced with traffic, construction, and tonnes of billboards. Most are unbearably bright at night and beam ads for real estate projects, fancy cars, and the latest shows on the top OTT platforms.
So, it was surprising to see this week a discreet-looking analogue ad for ChatGPT, the app probably most synonymous with all the wonders of generative AI, sitting on one billboard in the corner next to Juhu Circle bus stand. This ad campaign, and others spotted on the billboards in Chennai, Jaipur, Delhi (National Capital Region), and Bengaluru, isn’t flashy or ‘big bang’. But it effectively reminds customers what the app is all about with a nifty core concept—what do you use ChatGPT for? What are some prompts and scenarios where ChatGPT can make one’s life better?
This billboard in Mumbai, ostensibly aimed at students, could have used some localized vocabulary; after all, few Indian students would be familiar with the term ‘flashcards’, a mainstay of American education. Other billboards offer more relatable prompts: from creating a meal plan with 100g protein to sketching career options based on your likes and dislikes to asking ChatGPT to act as your public speaking coach.
Low-key or not, OpenAI’s campaign is further proof that the company is taking the Indian market really seriously. Just last month, ChatGPT announced a new, cheaper subscription tier exclusively for India called ChatGPT Go, priced at ₹399 a month. Sam Altman visited India in February this year and may visit again next month.
Why all the fuss about India? India’s ChatGPT user base is growing rapidly and reportedly rivalling the US.
But above all, American Big Tech companies value India for one thing—billions of potential daily active users.
Just ask Meta.