OpenAI partners with top Indian universities to bring AI education to 100,000 students

OpenAI pushes into higher education as India seeks to scale AI skills | TechCrunch

OpenAI is expanding its footprint in India and moving into the country's higher-education system through partnerships with leading academic institutions. The move comes as the South Asian nation seeks to scale AI skills and build domestic capacity in one of the world's largest talent markets. On Wednesday, OpenAI said it was partnering with six public and private higher-education institutions in India, including top engineering, management, medical, and design-focused institutes, with the aim of reaching more than 100,000 students, faculty, and staff over the next year. Rather than focusing on consumer use, the initiative centers on integrating AI into core academic functions, signalling OpenAI's interest in influencing how AI is taught, governed, and normalized within one of the world's largest higher-education systems. OpenAI has already built a large consumer audience for its ChatGPT chatbot, which has over 100 million monthly active users in India, according to CEO Sam Altman, and India has emerged as the company's second-largest user base after the U.S. The announcement also coincides with a broader push by leading AI firms to deepen their presence in India, which is hosting an AI Impact Summit in New Delhi this week. The first cohort of partners includes some of India's most influential academic institutions, such as the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, alongside private universities and specialised design schools. The ChatGPT maker said the partnerships would span disciplines ranging from engineering and management to healthcare and creative fields. India has already emerged as a key testing ground for AI use in education. Last month, Google said India accounts for the highest global usage of its Gemini tools for learning. Microsoft, similarly, said this week it would expand its Elevate skilling program in India to train teachers across schools, vocational institutes, and higher-education settings, working with government agencies as part of a broader push to build AI skills at scale. OpenAI said the partnerships would involve campus-wide access to its ChatGPT Edu tools, faculty training, and responsible-use frameworks. The focus, the company said, is on embedding AI into core academic workflows such as coding, research, analytics, and case analysis, rather than offering standalone access to tools. Two of the partner institutions, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, will also introduce OpenAI-backed certifications. Additionally, OpenAI said it would work with Indian ed-tech platforms, including PhysicsWallah, upGrad, and HCL GUVI, to extend AI training beyond campuses. These platforms will launch structured courses on AI fundamentals and ChatGPT use cases, aimed at students and early-career professionals. Raghav Gupta, head of education at OpenAI India, said educational institutions were a "critical route" to closing the gap between rapidly advancing AI tools and how people are actually using them, as skills demands shift across the economy. Last year, OpenAI hired Gupta, a former Coursera Asia-Pacific managing director, as its India and Asia-Pacific head of education, alongside the launch of a Learning Accelerator programme focused on expanding AI skills. The flurry of moves into education underscores how AI companies are increasingly looking beyond consumer tools and corporate clients toward institutions that shape skills, norms, and long-term adoption. For countries like India, the contest is not just around access to AI, but also about who helps define how it is taught, governed, and embedded at scale.

AI Impact Summit: OpenAI Announces Collaboration With These Institutes

* India's AI Impact Summit began on February 16 * OpenAI will collaborate with multiple Indian institutes * The initiative aims to improve AI proficiency in India AI Impact Summit 2026 was kicked off by the government on February 16. The event has brought together AI firms from across the world in one place, along with government representatives, industry leaders, subject-matter experts, and executives. As part of the AI Impact Expo 2026, which began on February 16, several companies and universities have showcased innovations and products. On the third day of the summit, Sam Altman-led AI giant has announced that it is collaborating with multiple higher education institutions in India to extend help and guidance to students. OpenAI's New Initiative Will Support Over 1 Lakh Indian Students, Faculty Members As part of OpenAI's new initiative, the US-based AI giant will collaborate with multiple higher education institutions in India, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), and Pearl Academy. On top of this, the company will provide AI tools, along with guidance and support, to more than 1,00,000 students, faculty members, and staff of the institutes. OpenAI plans to systematically integrate AI across higher education institutions in the country. OpenAI India's Head of Education, Raghav Gupta, highlighted that a knowledge gap exists between what AI systems can do and how they are being utilised. He said, "Education institutions are a critical route to bridge this gap. By embedding AI tools, training, and research into the core infrastructure of schools and universities, they can equip students with the skills needed to thrive in a world with AI." The US-based tech firm claims that it will provide "enterprise-grade" ChatGPT Edu access to students and faculty members across campuses, along with "discipline-specific" implementation guidance and "responsible-use frameworks". To enhance AI proficiency among Indian students, the AI fluency will be integrated into the "core" academic workflows. Students will be taught about advanced prompting, analytics, coding, simulations, case analysis, and how to conduct AI-assisted research. On the other hand, faculty members will be given the opportunity to upskill. OpenAI said that it will also support on-campus hackathons and research-to-deployment initiatives, while also connecting campuses with the startup and enterprise ecosystems. Lastly, IIM Ahmedabad and MAHE will award OpenAI certifications to students and faculty members. Apart from higher education institutions, the company is also collaborating with online education platforms, like PhysicsWallah, upGrad, and HCL GUVI.

OpenAI Partners With Top Indian Campuses For AI Push

OpenAI Builds Tie Ups with IIT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, AIIMS For Campus-Wide AI Rollout OpenAI announced institutional partnerships with six leading Indian universities and three major edtech platforms on Tuesday. This move marked the company's shift from individual AI adoption to campus-wide deployment. The first cohort includes IIT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, AIIMS New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), and Pearl Academy. The initiative is expected to support over one lakh students, faculty, and staff in the next year by providing access to enterprise-grade ChatGPT Edu, faculty enablement programs, and frameworks.

From IIT Delhi to Pearl Academy: OpenAI launches nationwide AI education collaboration in India

Collaborations with PhysicsWallah, upGrad, and HCL GUVI will extend AI learning beyond campuses. OpenAI has officially announced the first group of Indian higher education institutions with which it will collaborate under the new initiative. The company's partnership with leading institutes in fields such as engineering, management, medicine, and the creative arts aims to position AI as a core academic layer that changes how students learn, research, and prepare. The initial cohort includes Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, and Pearl Academy. Also read: Vivo V60 5G price drops under Rs 35,500 on Amazon: Check deal details According to the company, the initiative will reach more than 100,000 students, faculty, and staff in the coming year. Institutions will have access to ChatGPT Edu, as well as structured onboarding, implementation support tailored to specific disciplines, and frameworks to ensure responsible use in accordance with campus policies. Raghav Gupta, OpenAI's head of education initiatives in India, believes that the changing nature of work necessitates AI literacy rather than optionality. With skill requirements rapidly changing, he emphasised that universities are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between what AI systems can do and how effectively they are used. Also read: Google announces fresh AI investments in India, launches America-India Connect initiative: All details The initiative extends beyond classroom experimentation. AI tools will be used for coding exercises, research workflows, simulations, analytics, and case-based learning. Faculty development and campus-wide training will occur concurrently to ensure that adoption is deliberate and academically sound. OpenAI will also host hackathons and industry engagement programs to connect campus innovation with startups and businesses. Outside of universities, collaborations with edtech platforms such as PhysicsWallah, upGrad, and HCL GUVI aim to bring structured AI learning to a broader range of students and early-career professionals across the country.