"India is going to be one of our biggest partners," says OpenAI's Sam Altman

Speaking to the members of the India Global Forum (IGF) during an immersive session at OpenAI's headquarters in San Francisco, Altman said, "India is going to be one of our biggest partners."

He spoke about the scale, adaptability, and global outlook of Indian companies and engineers, and noted that India's digital infrastructure, entrepreneurial energy, and policy environment position it uniquely to harness, and shape, the AI revolution.

"We're excited to partner with the Indian government on our OpenAI for countries program," he said, talking about the push behind OpenAI's AI for countries programme, adding: "If I were a government, I would want to know I could have not just the model and hardware but the full AI stack and run it in my country under my control."

The interaction comes at a time when India-US technological cooperation is deepening, and as India's digital economy and AI capabilities are rapidly expanding. The session also saw recognition of what India's talent pool represents for the future of AI.

Currently, the IT services market in India is forecasted to reach almost USD 40 billion in 2025. The opportunity now lies in transforming these resources into AI capabilities that serve the world.

Altman spoke at length about his belief that, whether it be a few years or longer, a huge transformation is incoming that will completely change the way our economy and society function.

On where he sees OpenAI in the future, he said: "The real skill of the future will be figuring out the right questions to ask, and it's a learnable skill."

Manoj Ladwa, Founder & Chairman of India Global Forum, said: "Sam Altman's recognition of India's central role in the global AI landscape underscores what we at IGF have long believed -- India is not just a major market but a co-architect of the world's technological future."

During the session, Altman and the IGF delegation engaged in discussions centred around India's deep tech growth and the increasing globalisation of Indian companies.

The conversation also highlighted the importance of skilling the next generation of Indian talent to thrive in an AI-first world.

Additionally, they discussed potential collaborations in applied AI across key sectors such as healthcare, education, and public services, emphasising the massive potential for transformation in legacy industries.

Altman further shared his vision for the future of OpenAI and the broader integration of artificial intelligence into the economy and society, underscoring its role as a transformative force for progress and inclusion. (ANI)