OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s India Visit: Key Meetings, AI Rivalry, and Legal Challenges
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to visit India on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, according to a report by PTI. Altman, who previously visited India in 2023, will meet top government officials and participate in an industry fireside chat during his visit. Altman leads Microsoft-backed OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, a leading AI model that has transformed the AI landscape globally.
Legal Dispute with Indian News Agency ANI
Altman’s visit coincides with Indian news agency ANI’s lawsuit against OpenAI. According to ANI, the AI firm did not acquire proper authorization or compensation for its content to train its AI models. Nevertheless, OpenAI has disputed that it uses any data other than that which is publicly available and has contested the Indian courts’ jurisdiction on the matter.
Chinese AI Rival DeepSeek Challenges OpenAI
Altman’s visit comes at an opportune moment for OpenAI, as Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek has sprung up to become a big rival with its R1 model. According to DeepSeek, the cost of developing the R1 to date is believed to be less than $6 million, and on significantly less energy consumption than OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Surpassing ChatGPT as the No. 1 free app on Apple’s App Store, DeepSeek has completely changed the global AI market in a disruptive manner.
On January 27, Nvidia, a key supplier of AI chips, lost a staggering $590 billion market cap wiping out the most in history. The result of this setback has forced analysts to rethink the feasibility of maintaining high-cost AI investment models that seem to have been running astray.
US Tech Giants Launch New AI Infrastructure Project
In response to competitive pressures, US President Donald Trump announced “Stargate,” a $500 billion AI data centre infrastructure initiative led by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle. The goal of this project is to reinforce America’s AI capabilities to push back against the large-scale size, speeds, and discounts of low-cost AI models provided by China. OpenAI and SoftBank also jointly launched SB OpenAI Japan, an affiliated company that will conduct AI research and development in the region.
India’s Indigenous AI Ambitions
Similarly, India is also venturing into the usage of AI capabilities at greater length, revealing plans for its indigenous AI model as IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled. It is a model that is trying to offer affordable AI services at less than ₹100 per hour. This shows the commitment of India to become a global player in the field of development and the use of AI technology.
OpenAI is expecting Altman’s presence to strengthen business relationships with Indian stakeholders to develop AI research and infrastructure.