ChatGPT Images 2.0 is a hit in India, but not a big winner elsewhere, yet

OpenAI announced on Thursday that India has become the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0 since its release last week. Meanwhile, third-party data analyzed by JS suggests a more restrained global reaction, with overall growth being limited but notable surges in certain emerging markets.

ChatGPT Images 2.0, the latest enhancement in OpenAI’s image-generation technology, is created to manage more intricate prompts and generate detailed visuals, including multilingual text accuracy. Initial trends indicate that users, particularly in India, the platform’s largest market, are utilizing it to craft personal visuals such as avatars, stylized portraits, and fantasy-themed images.

Data provided by Sensor Tower and Similarweb to JS indicates a varied global reaction to the rollout. According to Sensor Tower, ChatGPT’s app downloads increased by 11% week-over-week after the launch, but overall engagement growth was modest, with daily active users and sessions rising by only about 1%. Similarweb data also shows a small increase in ChatGPT’s global web traffic, climbing approximately 1.6% week-over-week during the same timeframe.

In contrast, Sensor Tower’s data highlights that some emerging markets, such as Pakistan, Vietnam, and Indonesia, experienced sharper increases in ChatGPT’s app downloads, with week-over-week growth reaching up to 79% during the launch period.

India continued to be a significant source of activity throughout the rollout. Sensor Tower estimates that ChatGPT was downloaded around 5 million times in India during the launch week, compared to about 2 million in the U.S., although growth on a week-over-week basis remained modest. Similarweb data also notes a slight increase in engagement, with daily active users in India increasing approximately 3.4% week-over-week during the same period.

In India, the initial trends suggest that ChatGPT Images 2.0 is being used mainly for self-expression. Users are not just looking for functional outputs but are creating studio-style portraits from everyday photos, social media-ready images, and imaginative visuals that put them in the spotlight, according to OpenAI.

These early patterns demonstrate different adoption rates of AI image tools across markets. While India’s substantial user base is contributing to overall scale, the more intense spikes in countries like Pakistan and Indonesia indicate a stronger demand from new users in emerging markets following the launch.

The release of OpenAI’s Images 2.0 comes amid growing competition in AI image generation. Google’s previous image-centric model, the original Nano Banana, also gained significant early traction in India, highlighting the country’s key role in the image generation sector.

With the launch of ChatGPT Images, OpenAI is advancing with enhancements like improved rendering of non-Latin text, including Hindi and Bengali, and new “thinking” abilities that enable it to refine outputs and create multiple variations from a single prompt.

In addition to stylized portraits and avatars, OpenAI reports that early users of Images 2.0 in India are exploring a broader array of formats, ranging from fantasy newspaper covers to tarot-style visuals and fashion moodboards. Users are also employing the AI tool to restore old photos and create cinematic portrait collages, suggesting early trends towards more personal applications.