OpenAI Targets India’s Universities as AI Skills Race Heats Up

OpenAI is stepping deeper into India by partnering with major universities and institutes, positioning itself at the centre of how the country’s next generation learns and works with AI.

The company is moving beyond consumer adoption of ChatGPT and into the higher-education system, as India looks to rapidly scale AI skills and build local expertise across one of the world’s largest talent pools.

OpenAI said it is teaming up with six public and private higher-education institutions across India, spanning engineering, management, medical, and design-focused schools. The aim is to reach more than 100,000 students, faculty, and staff in the next year.

The initial cohort includes some of India’s most influential institutions:

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi
• Private universities and specialized design schools (not all names disclosed)

Instead of simply giving individuals AI tools, the initiative focuses on embedding OpenAI systems into the core academic workflow. That includes campus-wide access to ChatGPT Edu, faculty training, and frameworks for responsible use.

According to OpenAI, the tools will be integrated into day-to-day academic tasks such as:

• Software development and coding exercises
• Academic and scientific research assistance
• Data analysis and business analytics
• Case-based learning and problem-solving

The push signals OpenAI’s interest in influencing how AI is taught, governed, and normalized inside one of the largest higher-education ecosystems globally, rather than treating universities as just another enterprise customer segment.

Two of the partner institutions; IIM Ahmedabad and Manipal Academy of Higher Education – plan to introduce OpenAI-backed certifications. These credentials are intended to formalize AI skills and ChatGPT usage within recognized academic programs, extending the impact beyond informal or ad hoc experimentation with AI tools.

India has already become a key testbed for AI in learning environments. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said the country is now the company’s second-largest user base for ChatGPT after the United States, with over 100 million monthly active users in India.

The education-focused move comes as leading AI companies increasingly compete to shape how Indians learn and apply AI skills:

• Google recently said India accounts for the highest global usage of its Gemini tools for learning.
• Microsoft announced plans to expand its Elevate skilling program in India, targeting teachers across schools, vocational institutions, and higher education in collaboration with government agencies.

India is also hosting an AI Impact Summit in New Delhi this week, underscoring how the country is emerging as a focal point for international AI strategy, not only as a consumer market but as a talent and skills hub.

OpenAI’s education strategy in India extends beyond universities to reach a broader learner base. The company said it will work with local ed-tech platforms including:

• Physics Wallah
• upGrad
• HCL GUVI

These partners plan to roll out structured courses on AI fundamentals and ChatGPT use cases aimed at students and early-career professionals. That gives OpenAI a route into both formal higher education and the parallel world of online, skills-focused learning that many Indian learners rely on.

At the centre of the push is Raghav Gupta, OpenAI’s head of education for India and the Asia-Pacific region. Gupta, previously managing director for Coursera in Asia-Pacific, joined OpenAI last year as the company launched its Learning Accelerator program focused on expanding AI skills.

Gupta has described educational institutions as a “critical route” to closing the gap between what advanced AI tools can do and how people actually use them, especially as skills requirements shift across industries. By targeting universities, OpenAI is effectively trying to influence the pipelines that define workforce readiness over the long term.

The broader trend is clear: AI firms are no longer limiting their efforts to consumers and corporate clients. They are increasingly working with institutions that shape what people learn, how they work with technology, and which norms guide responsible AI adoption.

For India, that contest goes beyond securing access to cutting-edge AI platforms. It is also about who gets to help define how AI is taught, governed, and deeply embedded at scale across disciplines – from engineering labs and business schools to medical colleges and design studios.