OpenAI just dropped its affordable ChatGPT Go plan across 16 new Asian markets, marking the company's most aggressive expansion yet in the global race for AI users. The $5-per-month tier now spans from Afghanistan to Vietnam, directly challenging Google's similar push into price-sensitive markets where both AI giants are betting big on volume growth.
OpenAI is making its boldest international move yet, rolling out its budget-friendly ChatGPT Go plan to 16 new Asian markets in what's shaping up to be the most competitive AI expansion battle we've seen. The $5-per-month subscription tier just went live across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Timor, and Vietnam.
The timing isn't coincidental. According to internal OpenAI data shared with TechCrunch, the company's weekly active user base in Southeast Asia has exploded by up to four times since launching ChatGPT Go. That's the kind of growth that gets boardrooms excited and competitors nervous.
What makes this expansion particularly strategic is OpenAI's localization approach. In Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan, users can now pay in their local currencies - a move that removes the friction of currency conversion and makes the service feel more accessible. The remaining countries still pay in USD, with final costs varying based on local taxation.
ChatGPT Go subscribers get significantly higher daily limits for messages, image generation, and file uploads, plus double the memory of free users for more personalized conversations. It's positioned as the sweet spot between free ChatGPT and the premium ChatGPT Plus tier.
But OpenAI isn't operating in a vacuum here. Google launched its comparably priced AI Plus plan in Indonesia just last month, then quickly expanded to over 40 countries. Google's offering includes access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, their most advanced model, along with creative tools like Flow for design and Veo 3 Fast for video creation, plus 200GB of cloud storage.
The expansion drops during a pivotal week for OpenAI. CEO Sam Altman just announced at DevDay 2025 that ChatGPT has hit 800 million weekly active users globally, up from 700 million in August. More significantly, the company unveiled its transformation into an app ecosystem, with partners like Spotify, Zillow, and building directly inside ChatGPT.
