Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has impressed Indian users in recent weeks. In his most recent Twitter post, he has posted his own AI-generated photo with a cricket bat in hand, sporting an electric blue jersey. The image, created using OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology, emerged shortly after Altman’s visit to India, where he met with federal minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. During this meeting, he said, funnily enough, looking forward to working with India in creating low-cost AI models.
The cricket jersey image was prompted by the request for “Sam Altman as a cricket player in anime style.” This fun and lighthearted approach to the trendy sport struck a chord with a lot of people. That much-discussed short wouldn’t have been the first time Altman ventured into Indian themes through AI-generated content. He definitely made a play to cash in on the viral Studio Ghibli trend. He even retweeted pictures from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as posted by the federal government’s My Government citizen engagement platform.
Altman’s recent actions take place on a complex and nuanced backdrop. OpenAI, his company, is currently mired in legal battles against some of India’s biggest news media corporations. These problems are the result of claims of illegal content exploitation. Nonetheless, Altman has made a point to express great enthusiasm in establishing ties with India. Just hours before sharing the cricket jersey image, he praised India’s rapid adoption of AI technologies, highlighting that the country has become OpenAI’s second-largest market.
In February, during his initial visit to India this year, Altman made headlines by pledging to invest $1 million and dedicate five hours of his time each week to “make India great again in the context of AI.” This statement has sparked conversations about his commitment to supporting India’s AI landscape, yet it has raised eyebrows regarding his motivations.
Altman’s social media overtures have already captured the imagination of many, leading to speculation as to whether his overtures are sincere or just good for business. Many officials reading his remarks interpret them as wonderful overtures. In the background, though, some are still skeptical, given that he has a history of being disdainful towards small Indian start-ups who compete with OpenAI’s products. Just as importantly, his recent comments raised expectations for OpenAI’s massive new funding. A historic $40 billion in new investments will be funneled into several programs across India.
OpenAI has seen booming growth in its user base in India, tripling in the last year. This growth is a reflection of the growing interest and engagement with its products across the region. This rocketburst in users corresponds with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, reacting to India’s rapid onboarding of AI technology.
Even with all of the praise and acclaim for his efforts, critics have been quick to jump up. As a result, many users on social media are speculating about what Altman is really up to. They are scratching their heads for his pictures and tweets on India. Some speculate that he is primarily courting the Indian market for business growth rather than contributing to the local AI ecosystem.
“make India great again in the context of AI” – Aravind Srinivas