In a significant announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that India has now become the company’s second-largest market, in terms of the number of users. This growth comes on the back of a tripling in the user base within just a year, signaling India’s rapid embrace of artificial intelligence technologies.
Altman, who recently met with India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, discussed the country’s ambitious AI plans, particularly its goal of building a comprehensive, low-cost AI ecosystem. Vaishnaw highlighted India’s strategy of developing a localized AI stack—encompassing GPUs, models, and applications. This approach is expected to help drive affordable and efficient AI solutions tailored for India’s needs.
During their meeting, Altman expressed strong support for India’s ambitions, stating, “I think India should be one of the leaders of the AI revolution,” acknowledging the country’s growing potential in the AI space. This is a notable shift from his previous skepticism, when he doubted that India could build a substantial model within the constraints of a $10 million budget.
Altman’s visit to India, which marks his first since 2023, comes at a time when OpenAI faces significant legal challenges in the country, including a high-profile copyright infringement case involving Indian media giants. Despite these challenges, Altman remained optimistic about India’s future role in AI development.
The discussion also covered India’s unique approach to AI, which mirrors the country’s broader economic strategies. Vaishnaw compared India’s mission to send a spacecraft to the Moon at a fraction of the cost of other countries, suggesting that a similar cost-efficient model could be applied to AI development. He pointed to Chinese startup DeepSeek’s disruptive low-cost AI assistant as an example of how innovative approaches can drive affordability in AI technology.
While India is embracing AI, its government is also cautious about the potential risks posed by AI tools like ChatGPT. India’s Finance Ministry issued an advisory urging government employees to avoid using such tools for official work due to concerns about data confidentiality.
Before visiting India, Altman toured Japan and South Korea, where he secured partnerships with major companies like SoftBank Group and Kakao. In these countries, OpenAI also explored the potential for large-scale AI projects, including the Stargate AI data center with SoftBank and Samsung.
With this new development, India’s role in the global AI landscape is poised to expand rapidly. The country’s deep integration of AI into various sectors, combined with government support, presents a compelling vision for the future of AI technology. As OpenAI continues to grow its presence in India, the country may very well become one of the leading hubs for AI innovation globally.
India’s growing influence in AI, coupled with OpenAI’s expanding market presence, underscores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across the world.
This shift not only highlights India’s role as a critical player in the AI space but also reinforces the importance of creating accessible, localized AI models that can be adopted on a global scale. As AI adoption accelerates in India, the country’s commitment to becoming a leader in the AI revolution is more evident than ever.