Altman, Vaishnaw talk collab as AI race hots up

India second-largest OpenAI market

- AASHISH ARYAN

India has become the second-largest market (after the US) for OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, with its user base growing thrice over in 2024. The pecking order was revealed by OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman during a fireside chat with Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi on Wednesday. Vaishnaw, who also had a closed-door meeting with Altman, indicated in a social media post that India would collaborate with OpenAI on several fronts to develop an AI ecosystem.

Altman, 39, was on a flying visit to India as part of a multi-country tour to push (artificial intelligence AI). The American entrepreneur's visit came amid growing competition with other AI platforms such as China's DeepSeek.

"Seeing what people are building in India with AI at all the levels of stack, chips, models... you know all of the incredible applications, I think India should be doing everything. It is really quite amazing to see what the country has done and embraced the AI technology," Altman said during the fireside chat.

He praised the country's rapid AI adoption and innovation. Altman's latest comments come two years after his dismissive stance on India's generative AI potential raised eyebrows in the country.