OpenAI has made another big move in its mission to make artificial intelligence more affordable and accessible. The company has announced that its low-cost plan, called ChatGPT Go, is now available in 16 new countries across Asia. This expansion comes after strong demand from users who wanted cheaper access to ChatGPT’s advanced features.
The new plan costs around $5 per month, which is much lower than OpenAI’s other subscription plans. It is designed for users who want more features than the free plan but cannot afford the higher-priced Plus or Pro plans.
This update shows OpenAI’s clear goal to reach more people, especially in developing countries where AI adoption is growing fast.
What is ChatGPT Go
ChatGPT Go is a budget-friendly subscription plan from OpenAI. It includes all the features of the free ChatGPT version, but it also offers more usage limits and extra tools. Users who subscribe to ChatGPT Go get access to:
- Image generation
- File uploads
- Advanced data analysis
- Higher chat usage limits
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Go also gives users twice as much memory as the free version. This helps the chatbot remember past conversations better and provide more personalized responses.
The plan gives people in lower-income regions a chance to use powerful AI tools like GPT-5 without spending too much money.
Where ChatGPT Go is Now Available
With this latest expansion, ChatGPT Go is now available in 18 Asian countries. The plan was first launched in India and Indonesia, and it is now expanding to:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), and Vietnam.
In some countries, like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan, users can even pay in their local currencies. In other countries, users can pay in U.S. dollars.
The exact price may vary slightly depending on local taxes, but OpenAI said the plan will stay around $5 everywhere.
Why OpenAI Created ChatGPT Go
According to OpenAI’s Head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, making ChatGPT affordable has been one of the company’s biggest goals. He said that many users, especially in Asia, requested a cheaper plan that still allows them to use the full power of ChatGPT.
By launching ChatGPT Go, OpenAI hopes to close the gap between users in rich and developing countries.
OpenAI also shared that by May 2025, adoption rates of ChatGPT in low-income countries were four times higher than in high-income countries. This shows how much people in these regions are embracing AI for education, work, and creativity.
ChatGPT Go vs ChatGPT Plus and Pro
OpenAI currently offers three main personal subscription plans:
- ChatGPT Go: around $5 per month
- ChatGPT Plus: $20 per month
- ChatGPT Pro: $200 per month
There is also a ChatGPT Business plan that costs $25 per month for companies that need more control and security.
While Plus and Pro users get access to more speed and higher model limits, ChatGPT Go users get most of the essential features at a much cheaper cost. This makes it a great option for students, freelancers, and small business owners who are just starting with AI tools.
The Bigger Picture for OpenAI
This expansion comes shortly after OpenAI’s DevDay 2025 Conference in San Francisco, where CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT has reached 800 million weekly active users.
That is up from 700 million just a few months earlier, showing that ChatGPT continues to grow faster than any other AI platform in history.
OpenAI is also working on making ChatGPT more like an app ecosystem. Soon, users will be able to use apps directly inside ChatGPT, such as Spotify, Zillow, and Coursera. Nick Turley said the company wants ChatGPT to become “more like an operating system” where people can do everything in one place.
OpenAI vs Google in the Affordable AI Race
OpenAI is not the only company trying to dominate the low-cost AI market. Google has also been expanding its Google AI Plus plan, which gives access to its Gemini 2.5 Pro model and creative tools like Flow, Whisk, and Veo 3 Fast.
Google’s plan costs around the same price as ChatGPT Go and is already available in more than 40 countries.
This means that both OpenAI and Google are now competing head-to-head to attract users in developing regions. The winner of this race could shape the future of how billions of people use AI.
Why This Matters
The launch of ChatGPT Go is more than just another pricing change. It shows how OpenAI is focusing on accessibility and inclusion. By offering a $5 plan, the company is opening doors for millions of new users who want to learn, work, and create using AI.
In many Asian countries, students, creators, and entrepreneurs can now use GPT-5 for daily tasks without breaking the bank. This can help improve digital skills, encourage innovation, and even create new job opportunities.
With this move, OpenAI is showing that the future of AI should not only be powerful but also affordable for everyone.
Conclusion
OpenAI’s decision to expand ChatGPT Go to 16 new Asian countries is a major step in its global growth journey. It is a smart move that combines technology, affordability, and strategy.
For users, it means they can now enjoy the power of ChatGPT at a much lower cost. For OpenAI, it means gaining more users in fast-growing markets.
If this trend continues, ChatGPT Go could become one of the most used AI subscription plans in the world, helping millions of people across Asia experience what AI can truly do.
Also Read: OpenAI Unveils GPT-5 Pro, Sora 2, and AgentKit – The Future of AI Development Just Arrived
