India can lead world in AI: OpenAI's Sam Altman
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman thinks India is ready to lead the world in AI, thanks to its tech talent, positive outlook, and national strategy.
Speaking before the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi (Feb 16-20, 2026), he pointed out that India is already a major player—with 100 million weekly OpenAI users, second only to the US.
India's AI journey
Altman's comments come as global leaders—including Google's Sundar Pichai—gather for the summit to talk about both the risks and opportunities of AI.
India stands out with the largest student base for ChatGPT and heavy use of tools like Prism. The country's big push: using AI in areas like healthcare, agriculture, and startups.
OpenAI's plans for India
OpenAI has set up shop in Delhi since August 2025 and has trained over 200 nonprofit leaders on ChatGPT across four cities.
They're also rolling out free tools, promising more partnerships with government, better access to AI education, stronger infrastructure—and making sure everyone can benefit safely from these new technologies.