Sam Altman Backs PM Modi's AI Push, Calls India's Tech Energy "Very Special"

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on artificial intelligence during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi, highlighting the rapid momentum of AI adoption in the country. Altman appreciated Modi’s focus on “democratising” AI, noting that it aligns with OpenAI’s mission to make technology widely accessible while mitigating potential risks. He emphasized the energy and enthusiasm among Indian developers working across the AI ecosystem, calling it a unique and inspiring environment.

During his visit, Altman spoke at IIT Delhi, describing India as OpenAI’s second-largest market, experiencing remarkable growth in AI usage. He highlighted the increasing adoption of OpenAI’s Codex, an AI coding partner, noting a fourfold rise in weekly users over the past two weeks. Altman said India’s rapid AI expansion underscores the country’s leadership potential in global technology innovation and its growing influence in shaping AI development.

The India AI Impact Summit 2026, the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and civil society representatives from more than 110 countries and 30 international organisations. The summit focused on responsible AI governance, human-centric innovation, and inclusive technological advancement under the guiding principles of People, Planet, and Progress, emphasising equitable benefits and sustainability.

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Altman praised Modi for balancing enthusiasm for AI with social responsibility, ensuring that technological advancements benefit all sections of society. He said the prime minister’s leadership in promoting AI education, research, and ethical application sets a global example. The CEO noted that India’s growing AI ecosystem presents opportunities for collaboration, skill development, and innovation across sectors.

In addition to meeting Altman, Prime Minister Modi held discussions with global tech leaders, including Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet; Alexandr Wang, Chief AI Officer of Meta; and Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic. These interactions underscored India’s increasing prominence in international AI discourse and reinforced cooperation between policymakers and industry stakeholders.

The summit concluded with a symbolic group photograph at Bharat Mandapam, capturing the prime minister alongside global technology leaders and heads of state. Officials said the event will help shape AI policy, promote innovation, and ensure that India’s AI initiatives continue to expand inclusively, sustainably, and with a focus on global collaboration in emerging technologies.

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