OpenAI has launched the Learning Accelerator in India, combining large-scale AI access and training with a renewed commitment to open source, signalling a shift back to its founding philosophy.
OpenAI has announced the OpenAI Learning Accelerator in India, positioning it as the company’s largest education-focused initiative outside the US and tying it to a renewed commitment to open-source development.
The programme includes a $500,000 (₹4.25 crore) research collaboration with IIT Madras, distribution of nearly 500,000 ChatGPT licences to students and teachers in partnership with the Ministry of Education, AICTE, and Arise, and training programmes for educators aimed at strengthening learning outcomes. The initiative has received formal support from the Ministry of Education and MeitY.
At the OpenAI Education Summit in Delhi, officials highlighted the global momentum in open-source AI. Abhishek Singh, additional secretary at MeitY, said the ecosystem was expanding with models such as Llama, Mistral, GPT open-source, and Grok 2.5, noting that OpenAI was “returning to its founding philosophy of openness” by launching an open-source version.
The move comes ahead of the AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 19–20 February at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, which will bring together heads of state and global tech leaders including Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai.
India has become OpenAI’s second-largest market after the US, with student adoption of ChatGPT tripling in the past year. The company has also introduced an India-specific ChatGPT subscription plan priced at ₹399 per month with UPI integration.
OpenAI has appointed Raghav Gupta, former Coursera India MD, as head of education for India and Asia Pacific, and will establish its first India office in New Delhi later this year. Altman is expected to visit next month to advance discussions with the government and review expansion plans.
Education leaders, including Super-30 founder Anand Kumar, urged teachers to embrace AI in classrooms, reinforcing the initiative’s central goal: equipping India’s students and educators with accessible, future-ready technology.
