Sam Altman: India Equipped to Lead Global AI Push; OpenAI Plans Government Collaboration

• India positioned as a key global AI leader ahead of the AI Impact Summit.

• Strong tech talent, national strategy, and policy backing drive momentum.

• IndiaAI Mission aims to expand compute power, startups, and multilingual AI use.

• 100 million weekly OpenAI users; high student engagement with ChatGPT.

• Focus on access, adoption, and agency to ensure inclusive, democratic AI growth.

  
  

As New Delhi gears up to host the India AI Impact Summit on February 16, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has spotlighted India as a pivotal force in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. In remarks ahead of his visit, Altman suggested that the country is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in the next chapter of AI development worldwide.

In an opinion piece published in The Times of India, Altman described India as a nation equipped with the foundational elements necessary to become a comprehensive AI powerhouse. He pointed to the country’s deep pool of technical talent, coordinated national policy efforts, and widespread enthusiasm for emerging technologies as key drivers of its potential.

A National Push for AI Expansion

Altman underscored the significance of the government’s IndiaAI Mission, which seeks to expand computing infrastructure, nurture startup innovation, and accelerate the development of multilingual AI solutions. These initiatives are aimed at deploying artificial intelligence across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and public administration. The broader ambition, he noted, is to embed AI into everyday life for hundreds of millions of Indians.

India’s pace of AI adoption has also drawn attention. According to Altman, the country now accounts for 100 million weekly active users of OpenAI tools, making it the company’s second-largest market after the United States. He added that India leads globally in the number of students engaging with ChatGPT and ranks fourth worldwide in usage of Prism, OpenAI’s complimentary research and collaboration platform.

Altman argued that India’s democratic framework, combined with domestic expertise and strategic planning, creates a fertile environment for scaling AI responsibly and effectively.

Three Foundations of AI Impact

Central to Altman’s vision are three interconnected priorities: access, adoption, and agency.

He explained that access forms the foundation—without widespread availability of AI tools, individuals and institutions cannot fully participate in the digital transformation. Adoption follows, referring to the meaningful integration of AI into classrooms, offices, and government systems. Finally, agency empowers people to use these tools confidently and creatively, enabling faster learning, improved productivity, and better-informed decisions.

However, Altman cautioned that uneven distribution of AI capabilities could deepen existing inequalities. If access and adoption are limited to select groups, the economic and productivity benefits of AI may become concentrated, leaving others behind. Addressing this imbalance, he suggested, will be critical to ensuring inclusive growth.

Strengthening Ties Within India

Reaffirming OpenAI’s commitment to the Indian market, Altman said the company aims to collaborate closely with local stakeholders. Recently, OpenAI convened more than 200 nonprofit leaders across four Indian cities to explore practical applications of ChatGPT in the social sector. The company also established its first Indian office in Delhi last August, with plans for further expansion in the coming year.

Altman indicated that additional partnerships with the Indian government are in the works, focused on expanding access to AI tools and broadening their societal impact.

He concluded with a forward-looking message, emphasizing the reciprocal relationship between India and artificial intelligence. In his view, AI will play a defining role in the country’s development trajectory—and India, in turn, will influence how AI evolves globally, offering a model shaped by democratic values and inclusive growth.