Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, is planning a visit to India next week, marking his first trip to the country in two years. Sources close to the matter have confirmed that Altman’s visit to New Delhi is scheduled for February 5. A meeting with Indian government officials is expected to be a part of his itinerary, although the schedule is still tentative and could change, according to the sources.
OpenAI has stated that India is its second-largest market by the number of users, following the United States. Altman previously visited India in 2023, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in bolstering India’s tech ecosystem.
However, since Altman’s last visit, OpenAI has encountered several legal challenges in India. The company is currently facing a lawsuit filed by news agency ANI, which claims that OpenAI has breached copyright laws. The case, initiated in New Delhi court, has grown to include local book publishers and several digital media outlets, including those owned by prominent billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani.
OpenAI has defended its practices, asserting that it only uses publicly available data in accordance with fair use principles. The company has also argued that Indian courts do not have jurisdiction over the matter.
In addition to the legal challenges, OpenAI faces competition from global tech rivals. This week, a new Chinese AI competitor, DeepSeek, gained attention after its AI Assistant app overtook ChatGPT as the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store in the United States.
Despite the hurdles, Altman’s visit comes at a critical time for OpenAI as it navigates both legal and market challenges while continuing to expand its influence in global AI markets.
(With inputs from Reuters)