Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently spoke about India’s growing role in the field of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that the country has become one of the most critical markets for AI development. During a fireside chat with India’s IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Altman highlighted India’s progress and its potential to lead the AI revolution, particularly with upcoming government-backed AI models.
Altman shared that OpenAI’s user base in India has tripled in the past year, making India the company’s second-largest market globally. He praised India’s contributions to AI, noting that the country is advancing the AI ecosystem across multiple levels—from developing chips to creating models and building innovative applications. “India is an incredibly important market for AI in general, and for OpenAI in particular. It’s our second-largest market, and we’ve seen tremendous growth in users over the last year. What’s even more impressive is what people in India are creating with AI at all stages of development—chips, models, and exciting new applications,” he said.
Altman also recognized India’s potential as a leader in the AI space. “I think India should be one of the leaders of the AI revolution. It’s remarkable to see how the country has embraced AI technology and is building a complete stack around it,” he added.
This marks Altman’s second visit to India in two years, coinciding with a critical period for OpenAI. The company is facing rising competition from Chinese AI firm DeepSeek and grappling with legal challenges in India, including ongoing copyright disputes. Altman’s visit likely serves multiple purposes, including addressing these legal hurdles.
In addition, Altman clarified a previous statement regarding India’s ability to develop its own AI models. A comment he made years ago about India not pursuing its own AI models had been taken out of context. Altman explained, “When I previously spoke about the cost of building foundational AI models, it was in a different context. While foundational models are still expensive, advancements in distillation and smaller models are making AI more accessible. This will lead to a surge of creativity, and India should be at the forefront of this innovation.”
India is not only progressing in AI but also working toward creating its own AI model. Minister Vaishnaw announced that India plans to launch its own AI model within the next 10 months, supported by a robust computational infrastructure that includes 18,693 GPUs. The government aims to make AI technology more affordable and accessible, with plans to offer AI usage at less than Rs 100 per hour, supported by a 40% government subsidy.
Altman’s recognition of India’s AI advancements comes at a time when the country is positioning itself as a growing force in the global AI landscape, poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of AI innovation.
