ChatGPT Go's India Launch Hits UPI Snags

OpenAI's debut of a free 12-month ChatGPT Go plan for Indian users sparked substantial interest on Tuesday, despite many users facing hurdles with UPI activation. Reports of activation failures swept through social media platforms, primarily stemming from glitches in UPI payment processes.

The free plan, announced by OpenAI as part of a limited-time promotion starting November 4, 2025, requires users to submit payment details but incurs no subscription fee. However, issues arose due to multiple one-rupee charges that users reported, without the activation of the service.

OpenAI acknowledged a temporary disruption in UPI payments, citing unexpectedly high user traffic at the launch, which strained system capacity. The company ensures it is collaborating with partners to quickly address the overload and restore the UPI payment mechanism.