OpenAI’s Sam Altman Eyes Expanded India Collaboration Ahead of 2026 AI Summit

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Calls India a ‘Full-Stack AI Leader’, Eyes Deeper Engagement Ahead of 2026 Summit

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has hailed India as a potential “full-stack AI leader,” signalling plans to expand the company’s presence and strengthen collaboration with the Indian government ahead of the Global AI Impact Summit 2026. OpenAI is the developer of the widely used ChatGPT.

Writing in The Times of India on Sunday, Altman highlighted India’s rapidly growing AI adoption. The country now hosts 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users — the largest student user base worldwide — making India OpenAI’s second-largest market after the United States. India also ranks fourth globally in adoption of Prism, OpenAI’s free scientific research and LaTeX-based collaboration tool.

India to Host Global AI Summit

New Delhi will host the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20. The five-day event, the fourth in the global series, will bring together technology leaders, researchers, and policymakers from around the world. Altman is expected to attend.

Expanding OpenAI’s India Presence

OpenAI opened its first Delhi office in August 2025 and plans further expansion this year. The company recently trained over 200 nonprofit leaders across four Indian cities on using ChatGPT to enhance organisational capabilities.

“OpenAI is committed to building AI in India, with India, and for India,” Altman wrote, adding that new partnerships with the Indian government will soon be announced to broaden access to AI tools.

Access, Adoption, Agency

Altman outlined a three-part framework to maximise AI’s impact in India:

Access: Make AI tools available to all, regardless of income or education

Adoption: Integrate AI in schools, clinics, and small businesses

Agency: Build large-scale AI literacy for meaningful and responsible use

He warned against a “capability overhang,” where access outpaces users’ skills, emphasising the need for practical fluency in coding and knowledge work.

Altman also praised India’s India AI Mission, approved in March 2024 with ₹10,371.92 crore over five years, aimed at boosting computing infrastructure, supporting startups, and advancing multilingual AI applications in sectors like healthcare and agriculture.

“AI will help define India’s future, and India will help define AI’s future,” Altman wrote, noting the country’s strong infrastructure and emphasis on democratic participation as key differentiators.