OpenAI has expanded its affordable ChatGPT Go subscription plan, priced under $5, to 16 additional countries across Asia. This move aims to broaden access to its artificial intelligence services in high-growth markets, following observed increases in regional user engagement.
The expansion includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Timor, and Vietnam. Users in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan now have the option to pay in local currencies, while other markets will transact in U.S. dollars, with final costs adjusted for local taxation, according to company statements. The ChatGPT Go plan provides subscribers with increased daily limits for messages, image generation, and file uploads, along with enhanced memory for personalized responses compared to its free tier.
OpenAI reports a fourfold increase in its weekly active user base in Southeast Asia and a doubling of paid subscribers in India since the ChatGPT Go plan's initial launch in August in India, followed by Indonesia in September. This expansion intensifies competition with Google, which introduced its similarly priced Google AI Plus plan in Indonesia in September, subsequently extending its availability to over 40 countries. Google's offering includes access to Gemini 2.5 Pro and creative tools for image and video creation.
The expansion coincides with recent announcements at OpenAI's DevDay 2025 conference, where CEO Sam Altman reported ChatGPT's global weekly active users reached 800 million. The company also detailed a strategic shift to transform ChatGPT into an "operating system" or ecosystem, enabling direct application integration with partners such as Spotify, Zillow, and Coursera. Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, indicated this evolution aims to provide a platform for various applications, from writing and coding to interacting with goods and services. Despite a reported $500 billion valuation, OpenAI recorded a $7.8 billion operating loss in the first half of 2025 due to substantial investments in AI infrastructure. The company views affordable subscription tiers, such as ChatGPT Go, as a strategy for achieving profitability while expanding its global user base.
