In what could be a game-changing moment for the global artificial intelligence landscape, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made a bold prediction — India could soon surpass the United States as OpenAI’s largest market.
The comment came on the heels of the official launch of GPT-5, the next-generation large language model that Altman calls “our best model yet for coding and agentic tasks.” But amid the technical chatter, one message was clear—India is not just a passive consumer of AI tools. It’s fast becoming the heart of the AI revolution.
“India is our second-largest market in the world after the US, and it may well become our largest,” Altman said during a media briefing. “What citizens of India are doing with AI is really quite remarkable.”
GPT-5 Launch: More Than Just Another Upgrade
OpenAI rolled out GPT-5 on August 7 across three versions — gpt-5, gpt-5-mini, and gpt-5-nano — giving developers unprecedented flexibility to balance performance, cost, and latency.
While GPT-4 had already set a high bar, GPT-5 goes even further. It brings more sophisticated interpersonal styles, language proficiency, and enhanced reasoning ability. The version embedded within ChatGPT is a combination of reasoning and non-reasoning models that adapt to the user’s needs. In terms of APIs, GPT-5 is entirely tailored for reasoning, making it ideal for programmers creating critical AI systems.
But the excitement doesn’t stop there.
Also Read: ‘It Thinks Before It Speaks’: How GPT-5 is Outthinking GPT-4
India-Focused Innovations: 12 Languages, One Goal
One of the most significant upgrades, as noted by Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, is the model’s improved understanding of over 12 Indian languages, including regional dialects.
“That’s really exciting because, as Sam mentioned, India is a priority market for us,” Turley said.
This update isn’t just technical. It represents a cultural change in the development of AI, where Indian consumers are now important influencers of how AI is developed and implemented rather than merely being a part of a global user base.
September Visit: Altman’s India Agenda
Altman revealed that he plans to visit India in September, a move likely tied to upcoming partnerships and developer integrations within the country. Although specifics are still being kept under wraps, sources indicate OpenAI may be investigating:
- Collaborations with Indian ed-tech and fintech companies
- Affordable localized API access plans
- AI integration into Indian languages for governance, healthcare, and education
The timing is crucial. Given that India now has the second-highest number of internet users worldwide and that AI use is growing quickly across industries, OpenAI’s greater integration with India has the potential to upend the local IT sector.
The Suspense Behind the Strategy
Why is OpenAI so heavily betting on India now?
- The country with the highest percentage of self-taught programmers and one of the fastest-growing GitHub user bases is India.
- Affordable experimentation: Indian startups are known for frugal innovation, the ideal breeding ground for testing AI solutions at scale.
- Government interest in AI: With multiple state-backed AI initiatives, India is signaling that it wants to lead the AI race—not just participate.
OpenAI seems to have taken notice.
