OpenAI announces India tie- ups to improve learning outcomes

OpenAl announced asweeping partnership with the ministry of education and schools in India on Monday to expand artificial intelligence use in learning, committing to distribute half a million licences of its popular ChatGPT service across the country’s education system over six months.

- Binayak Dasgupta and Sejal Sharma

The US company, which described the India project as its first major foray into the education sector globally, also announced a $500,000 research partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to conduct long-term studies on how AI can improve learning outcomes and help create new teaching methods.

“ChatGPT study is trained on the Indian curriculum and will help Indian students a little more specifically,” said Leah Belsky,

‘OpenAl's vice-president of education, during an interaction on the sidelines of the company’s education summit in New Delhi. The initiative would include training for educators to use AT for learning, she added. Harikumar Janakiraman, director of digital education at India’s education ministry, welcomed the partnership, saying it would help extend AI access to teachers in government schools across the country.

The announcement underscores India’s position as a leading market for AI companies. For OpenAl, the country represents its second-largest market after the US and home to the largest student population on ChatGPT globally. Belsky said more than 50% of ChatGPT users in India are under the age of 24.

The company hopes the initiative will help ensure AI tools deepen learning, rather than create shortcuts, while helping students build critical thinking skills when answers are instantly available.