OpenAI's Sam Altman to visit India amid ongoing legal challenges
What's the story
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to visit India on February 5, 2025, according to Reuters. This might mark Altman's first visit to India in two years, following his 2023 meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The visit is also expected to include meetings with government officials. However, the exact details of Altman's itinerary are yet to be confirmed.
Legal dispute
Altman's visit follows copyright infringement lawsuit
Altman's planned visit comes on the heels of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Indian news agency ANI last year. The agency has accused OpenAI of using its content to train AI models without providing any compensation. The case, which has also been backed by multiple book publishers and digital media outlets, is currently pending in a New Delhi court.
International disputes
Similar copyright infringement lawsuits in US
Notably, the copyright infringement issue isn't limited to India. Several US news outlets, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, and Orange County Register, have also sued OpenAI for similar reasons. OpenAI, in response to the allegations, has maintained that it only uses publicly available data in a manner protected by fair use principles.
Market competition
OpenAI's market position challenged by Chinese AI rival
Apart from the legal hurdles, OpenAI is also dealing with tough competition from Chinese AI rival DeepSeek. The latter recently overtook ChatGPT to become the highest-rated free app on Apple and Google's app stores in the US. The development has sparked a global tech stock rout, making matters worse for OpenAI. The company views India as its second-largest market by user base, following the US, making Altman's visit even more significant.