OpenAI to Set Up First India Office in New Delhi, Expanding Local Presence
OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT, is officially entering India with plans to open its first office in New Delhi later this year. The move underscores the country’s growing importance as a hub for digital innovation and AI adoption, as India emerges as OpenAI’s second-largest market by user base.
The Microsoft-backed company announced on Friday that it has already registered as a legal entity in India and begun hiring a dedicated local team. This marks a significant milestone for OpenAI, which has rapidly expanded its global footprint over the past year.
Just earlier this week, OpenAI rolled out its most affordable monthly subscription plan priced at $4.60 in India—its lowest globally. The launch is aimed at tapping into the nearly one billion internet users in the world’s most populous nation, many of whom are students, young professionals, and small businesses eager to integrate AI into their daily lives.
"Opening our first office and building a local team is 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," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in the statement.
The decision comes at a time when AI adoption is accelerating in India, especially among students and startups. According to market data shared by the company, India now has the world’s largest student user base on ChatGPT, and weekly active users in the country have grown fourfold in the past year alone.
However, the company’s entry is not without challenges. OpenAI is currently facing legal disputes in India, with several news outlets and book publishers accusing the company of using copyrighted content without authorization to train its AI models. OpenAI has denied these allegations, stating that it complies with legal frameworks and prioritizes transparency in its operations.
Competition in the Indian AI landscape is also intensifying. Google’s Gemini platform and emerging AI startups like Perplexity have made aggressive moves, offering advanced plans for free to capture a share of the fast-growing market. For OpenAI, setting up a local base is seen as a strategic step to better understand user needs, tailor offerings, and establish stronger partnerships in the region.
Industry experts believe that India presents a massive opportunity for OpenAI, not just because of its user numbers but also due to its vibrant ecosystem of developers, researchers, and enterprises experimenting with artificial intelligence across sectors like education, healthcare, and finance.
As global conversations around responsible AI use continue, OpenAI’s expansion into India signals both ambition and recognition of the country’s pivotal role in shaping the future of AI. With a new office, a growing team, and localized offerings, the company is positioning itself to deepen its engagement with one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the world.