Sam Altman at Express Adda Today Highlights: As artificial intelligence races from labs into everyday life, it is stirring both excitement and unease. Can AI unlock new levels of creativity and opportunity? Will it make work smarter and help tackle the world’s toughest problems? Or will it displace jobs, inflate a tech bubble and raise fresh concerns about safety and control? And where does a tool like ChatGPT fit into this fast-changing landscape?
In a special Express Adda conversation, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, a founder, engineer and one of the key architects of the AI revolution, sits down with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, for a candid discussion on the future of intelligence, the changing nature of work, the promise and risks of AI and the shifting balance of global technological power.
In India to participate in the ongoing AI Impact Summit 2026, Altman has said that the country is one of the biggest markets for the AI world. “It is amazing to be here, obviously the work happening in India and the adoption of AI is leading the world, and I can’t wait to see what goes next. This will be one of the biggest markets for AI in the world, and I think India will have a huge amount of influence… It (AI) will definitely impact the job market, but we always find new things to do, and I have no doubt we will find lots of better ones this time.”
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: 'OpenAI is research first company'
Sam Altman said, “We are a research first company. Making a product is a result of doing good research. Research continues to decide what models are capable of.”
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: 'Builder energy is India is off the charts'
Speaking about the tech building energy in India, Altman said, “My comment few years ago got taken out of context. It’s even more true now that you can make a frontier model for $10 million. The small, narrow models India is doing is incredible. I was at IIT Delhi this morning, the energy was awesome."
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: 'Human connection most valuable commodity'
Talking about AI psychosis, Sam Altman said, “There will be some people who fall in love with AI, a small percentage of the world. A lot of breathless articles will be written about the end of society. But for almost everyone, human connection will be one of the most valuable commodity.”
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Altman on impact of AI on jobs
Responding on how will AI impact jobs in the future, Sam Altman said that it will definitely end a lot of professions that are currently active. However, AI will make way for a lot of new jobs, Altman added.
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Biggest mistake corporations are making in adopting AI
On biggest mistake corporations are making in adopting AI, Altman says, "A company I met yesterday was planning on learning about AI in 2026 and implementing it in 2028. That's not the speed at which companies should implement artificial intelligence."
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: What will Altman never ask ChatGPT
Sam Altman was asked about one thing that he will not ask ChatGPT. He said, “I would never ask ChatGPT how to be happy. For things like therapy and life advice, it can be good but not for life philosophy.”
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Altman on not taking equity in OpenAI
Sam Altman says that his decision of not taking equity in OpenAI was "dumbest decision". “We were a non-profit, so to be on the board you had to be disinterested. I had a successful career and didn’t care either way. At this point, I feel tired of the conversation and am not sure what to do,” he says.
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Altman on Elon Musk
Asked about one good thing about Elon Musk, Sam Altman took a pause to think and said, "He is extremely good at physical engineering and making people work."
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Altman on AI monopoly
Sam Altman says, “The world is at its best when there is balance of power, where all countries keep each other in check. You don’t want one AI incharge of the world, no matter who has it. You can imagine a world where AI massively concentrates power, where a country can use AI to amass power and wealth.”
“The other extreme is everyone on Earth has superintelligence with no rules and its chaos. I personally think there will be democratization of AI, it is possible to put AI in everyone’s hands while having guardrails.”
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Where is China in the AI race?
Sam Altman is asked if China is really ahead in the tech race. He replies, "China is very ahead in some areas and not in some."
"China is ahead in robotics, electric motors, and magnets as well as energy build out. There are places where we are ahead of them. It is hard to be ahead on everything. Maybe if you had superintelligence you could do it. There’s always ways in which global economy is competition. Reality is messier. I do think its important to look at net differences in power and the impact that it could have."
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: 'Tech companies will have to work closely with govts'
Talking about associating with the govts, Sam Altman says, "In order to democratize technology, tech companies will have to work closely with the governments around the world." Altman thinks that govt and tech companies partnerships need to evolve and remain.
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Data centres in space? Altman calls it 'ridiculous'
"Current idea of putting data centres in the space is ridiculous. It may happen in the future but not right now," says Altman.
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Altman on how AI has evolved
When asked how much has AI changed over the last few years, Sam Altman said, “A year ago, AI was able to just do high-school math and people couldn’t believe it. A couple of years before that AI couldn’t do grade-school math. Last week, researchers put out first proof and our latest AI got seven of those problems right. Its also happened in physics. It is an amazing change in a year.”
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Will AI impact job market? Altman says...
Speaking at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026, Altman shared his views on if artificial intelligence will impact jobs. "It (AI) will definitely impact the job market, but we always find new things to do, and I have no doubt we will find lots of better ones this time," he said.
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Altman on India's influence on AI market
On the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, OpenAI announced a major push into the country with the launch of its ‘OpenAI for India’ initiative. The company also revealed a key infrastructure partnership with IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to leverage local data centre capabilities for AI operations in India.
Speaking at an event on Thursday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the decision to scale up its India presence was driven by the country’s vast scale and the strength of its partnerships. "This will be one of the biggest markets for AI in the world, and I think India will have a huge amount of influence," he said at the Summit.
OpenAI also announced collaborations with MakeMyTrip and JioHotstar, as part of its broader effort to expand AI adoption across sectors in the country.
Sam Altman at Express Adda Live: Welcome to the latest edition of Indian Express' Adda
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who is in India for the AI Impact Summit, will be the guest at the Express Adda. He will be in conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director of The Indian Express Group.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Altman will address the big questions surrounding AI, from job losses and safety concerns to creativity and economic disruption. Stay tuned as we bring in the latest from the conversation.