ChatGPT most-used AI platform to find info in India; 31 pc willing to switch to DeepSeek: Survey
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI): About half of Indian internet users surveyed said they are already using AI platforms, with OpenAI's ChatGPT leading the segment, an online survey said on Tuesday.
Google and other search engines are preferred mode for 40 per cent of respondents over AI platforms for finding information, online survey firm LocalCircles said.
The survey conducted between August 11, 2024, amd February 1, 2025, claims to have received over 92,000 responses from citizens located in 309 districts of India while the number of responses for each question varied.
In response to question on which AI platform is mostly used for finding information, 28 per cent of the 15,377 respondents said they use ChatGPT, 9 per cent Perplexity, 6 per cent Co-Pilot directly or via Bing, 3 per cent each uses "Gemini via Google" and Llama, while 6 per cent indicated "an AI platform not listed in the survey.
"To sum up, 1 in 2 Indian internet users are already using AI platforms, with ChatGPT being most widely used among those surveyed," LocalCircles said.
The survey found that 90 per cent Indian AI users surveyed use AI platforms primarily in text mode while 10 per cent use them in voice mode.
When asked about the new platform DeepSeek developed in China is provides advanced AI features free to consumers and if they will consider switching to such a platform from the existing ones, 8 per cent out of 15,753 AI platform users stated that they have already switched, 15 per cent stated that "yes, they will switch unless other platforms also offer advanced features free", 8 per cent stated that they will switch regardless and 38 per cent expressed unwillingness to switch.
"3 in 10 Indian users of AI platforms have switched to DeepSeek or will soon do so," the survey said.
The survey found that 3 in 10 Indian users of AI platforms surveyed have a paid or premium subscription.
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Mass funeral of four brothers leaves UAE community in mourning after fatal road accident
Report: Thufail Muhammad Abudhabi
Dubai: The funeral of four young brothers who died in a tragic road accident near Abu Dhabi drew hundreds of mourners to the Al Qusais cemetery on Tuesday evening, leaving the UAE’s expatriate community in deep shock and grief.
The children Ashaj (14), Ammar (12), Azaam (8) and Ayyash (5) were the sons of Abdul Latheef and Ruksana, natives of Kerala’s Malappuram district. The family was returning to their Dubai residence after attending the Liwa Festival on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi when their car met with a fatal accident early Sunday morning.
Three of the children died on the spot, while Azaam succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening during treatment. The family’s domestic helper, Bushra Fayaz (49), also lost her life in the crash. Her body was repatriated to India on Monday night, and funeral rites were held in Kerala on Tuesday.
Abdul Latheef, who sustained injuries in the accident, arrived at the cemetery from Abu Dhabi in a wheelchair, his hand in a sling, to attend the burial of his sons. Mourners described the scene as one of the most heartbreaking they had ever witnessed.
“I have never seen the mass burial of children from the same family. It was devastating for everyone present,” said a social worker who assisted the family.
The couple’s only daughter, Izza (10), survived the accident with minor injuries and is undergoing treatment. Unaware of the loss of her brothers, she was seen playing on a mobile phone from her hospital bed.
Relatives said informing the parents about the tragedy was handled with extreme care. Abdul Latheef was told late on Sunday night, while Ruksana who had undergone surgery for an injury to her hand was informed only on Tuesday after counsellors were brought in to break the news professionally.
Before the burial, the parents were allowed to see their children one last time. Ruksana was taken by ambulance to the mortuary, while Abdul Latheef obtained special permission for temporary discharge from hospital to attend the funeral. Ruksana remained hospitalised with her daughter.
Though the family holds Ras Al Khaimah visas, special permission was obtained to conduct the burial in Dubai, where the family resides and where most relatives are based. Community members expressed gratitude to the Dubai authorities for facilitating the process.
Abdul Latheef runs a business in Ras Al Khaimah, while Ruksana works as a property consultant in Dubai. All five children were students of Arab Unity School in Dubai, following the British curriculum. The school management issued a circular to parents outlining measures to support students and families affected by the tragedy and advising on how to discuss the loss sensitively with children.
The cause of the accident has not yet been officially confirmed by Abu Dhabi Police. Public discussions have pointed to possible factors such as dense winter fog and overspeeding, though authorities are yet to release findings.
