India potential AI leader, says Altman
Days after China launched its artificial intelligence (AI) software ‘DeepSeek’, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met Indian officials to discuss plans for a comprehensive AI ecosystem.
Altman met IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi, where they explored potential collaborations. Taking to X, Vaishnaw stated, “Altman was open to partnering with India.”
He highlighted India’s success in cost-effective technological projects, drawing parallels to the country’s low-cost space missions, including its 2023 moon landing. He noted that similar innovation could enable India to develop AI models at a fraction of the cost seen elsewhere.
FinMin tells staff not to use AI apps
Flagging risks, the Finance Ministry has asked its officials not to use or download artificial intelligence tools or ChatGPT and DeepSeek in their official systems. “It has been determined that AI tools and AI applications such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, etc. in the office computers and devices pose risks for confidentiality of the government data and documents. AI tools and apps in office devices may be strictly avoided,” read a recent Department of Expenditure note to its employees and officers.
The discussions focused on India’s strategy to build a full-scale AI stack — encompassing graphics processing units (GPUs), foundational models and applications. Altman reaffirmed India’s importance to OpenAI, describing the country as a key market and a potential global leader in AI.
Vaishnaw emphasised India’s proven track record in executing large-scale tech projects on a budget, stressing that AI could revolutionise critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, weather forecasting, disaster management and transportation.
Altman’s visit to India is part of broader global engagements, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to co-host an AI summit in France from February 10-11. Altman is expected to attend the event, which aims to strengthen international collaborations in AI development.
India’s push for a robust AI ecosystem aligns with its growing technological influence. On January 30, the country announced plans to develop its own large language model under the Rs 10,370 crore ‘IndiaAI Mission’.
As part of this initiative, the government has selected 10 companies to supply 18,693 GPUs — high-end chips essential for training AI models — to support the development of a foundational large language model.
