AI exploding in India

September 20, 2025

Open AI Chief Sam Altman is expected to visit India later this month, underscoring the country’s fastgrowing importance in the global artificial intelligence landscape. Altman has described India’s adoption of AI as “unmatched anywhere in the world,” and the company is moving quickly to deepen its presence here. India has emerged as ChatGP T’s secondlargest market in terms of users and, according to company projections, could soon overtake all others to become its biggest.

To consolidate its position, OpenAI has begun hiring for its first India office, an initiative Altman recently described as “an important first step in our commitment to make advanced AI more accessible across the country and to build AI for India, and with India.” In a market of nearly one billion internet users, OpenAI this week introduced its cheapest subscription plan so far, priced at \$4.60 per month.

The move is aimed particularly at India’s large student base, where usage has surged. Company data shared on Friday showed that India has the world’s largest population of student users on ChatGPT, with weekly active users quadrupling over the past year. The company, however, faces intense competition. Google’s Gemini and AI startup Perplexity have already introduced advanced plans in India, with some features available for free, creating a challenging e n v i r o n m e n t f o r OpenAI’s paid services.

Legal challenges are also mounting. Several Indian news publishers and book houses have accused OpenAI of using their content without consent to train its models. The company has denied these claims. Looking ahead, India could play a pivotal role in OpenAI’s ambitious \$500 billion Stargate project, aimed at building the global infrastructure required to support nextgeneration AI.

According to Bloomberg, India is among the locations identified for new data centres. The proposed Indian facility is expected to be part of Stargate’s second phase, alongside expansions in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Preliminary discussions have reportedly begun b e t w e e n O p e n A I , Indian government officials, and private sector partners. The talks focus on securing land, energy resources, a n d r e g u l a t o r y approvals to set up the facility.

If realised, the centre would not only strengthen OpenAI’s infrastructure in Asia but also highlight India’s growing role in shaping global AI development. Altman’s upcoming visit and the rapid expansion plans underline how OpenAI views India not only as a vast user base but also as a strategic partner in building the future of artificial intelligence.