ChatGPT Images 2.0 has been a big hit in India, but hasn’t been a big winner elsewhere yet

India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0 since its launch last week, OpenAI said on Thursday. However, third-party data reviewed by TechCrunch suggests a more measured global response, with limited overall growth alongside sharp rises in select emerging markets.

ChatGPT Images 2.0, OpenAI’s latest image generation upgrade, is designed to handle more complex prompts and produce detailed visual images, including accurate text across multiple languages. The company’s early patterns suggest that users — especially in India, its largest market — are using it to create selfies such as avatars, portraits, and fantasy-themed photos.

Data shared by Sensor Tower and Slikeweb with TechCrunch suggests that the rollout led to a more mixed global response. ChatGPT app downloads rose 11% weekly after launch, according to Sensor Tower, but overall engagement gains were modest, with daily active users and sessions up just 1%. SimilarWeb data also shows a limited increase in global web traffic for ChatGPT, rising approximately 1.6% on a weekly basis over the same period.

However, Sensor Tower data indicates that some emerging markets – including Pakistan, Vietnam and Indonesia – saw sharp rises in ChatGPT app downloads, with increases of up to 79% week-on-week during the launch period.

Meanwhile, India remained a major source of activity during the offering. Sensor Tower estimates that ChatGPT was downloaded about 5 million times in India during the launch week, compared to about 2 million times in the US, although growth remained modest on a week-on-week basis. SimilarWeb data also indicates a limited increase in engagement, with the number of daily active users in India rising by approximately 3.4% week-on-week over the same period.

In India, early trends suggest that ChatGPT Images 2.0 is largely being used as a form of self-expression. Instead of purely functional outputs, users create studio-style images from everyday photos, social media-ready images, and imaginative visuals that put themselves at the center, OpenAI said.

Early patterns also highlight how AI visualization tools are being adopted differently across markets. While India’s large user base leads the overall range, sharp rises in countries like Pakistan and Indonesia indicate stronger demand from new users in emerging markets following the app’s launch.

The launch of OpenAI’s Images 2.0 comes amid intense competition in AI image generation. Google’s previous image-focused model, the original Nano Banana, also saw strong early traction in India, indicating how the country is becoming an important market for image generation.

With the release of the new ChatGPT Images, OpenAI is moving forward with improvements such as better display of non-Latin scripts, including Hindi and Bengali scripts, and new “thinking” capabilities that allow it to optimize output and create multiple variations from a single prompt.

In addition to selfies and avatars, OpenAI said early Images 2.0 users in India are experimenting with a wide range of formats — from fantasy newspaper covers to tarot-style visuals and fashion mood boards. Users are also using the AI ​​tool to restore old photos and create cinematic collages, indicating early patterns for more personal use, the company said.