‘India is our biggest market in the world’ says Altman:Growing AI ambitions, superintelligence, and what comes next; key takeaways from podcast with Raj Shamani

Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to research laboratories or science-fiction movies. From writing code and generating images to assisting scientific research, AI is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. However, according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, what we have witnessed so far could be just the beginning. In an extensive conversation with entrepreneur and content creator Raj Shamani on Figuring Out, Altman discussed the decisions that shaped OpenAI, the thinking behind ChatGPT’s launch, the growing race towards superintelligence, and the potential consequences of developing technology more capable than humans.
He also spoke about India’s enthusiasm for AI, the challenges of running one of the world’s most influential technology companies, and the personal sacrifices that come with such responsibility.
Rather than focusing only on AI’s technical capabilities, the conversation offered insights into how one of the industry’s most influential leaders views the technology and the future it could create. India is emerging as a major AI market One of the most interesting aspects of the conversation was Altman’s observation about the contrasting attitudes towards artificial intelligence in India and the United States. According to him, India has demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm for AI adoption, with users exploring its potential to build businesses, improve productivity, and solve everyday problems. He described India as OpenAI’s biggest market by ChatGPT users at the time of the conversation. Altman believes this enthusiasm is partly connected to the country’s economic environment. Developing economies often have significant unmet demand for services, resources, and opportunities. AI could help bridge some of these gaps by making capabilities that were previously expensive or inaccessible available to a much wider population. The opportunities extend beyond individual users. Students can use AI to improve their learning, developers can accelerate software development, and entrepreneurs can build products with smaller teams and fewer resources. The scale of India’s adoption is also reflected in OpenAI’s subsequent disclosures. In February 2026, the company announced that India had crossed 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, highlighting the country’s growing importance in the global AI ecosystem. However, adoption is only one part of the equation. India’s ability to develop its own AI infrastructure, nurture technical talent, and build homegrown applications will determine how much economic value it can extract from this technology. The country has an opportunity not just to become a major consumer of AI but also to emerge as a developer of AI-powered products and solutions.
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The big bet that shaped OpenAI’s future Another revealing part of the interview focused on a major decision OpenAI made after completing GPT-4. Altman explained that the company finished training GPT-4 months before making it publicly available. During this period, the team began recognising that the model’s capabilities could open up entirely new avenues of research, particularly around improving AI reasoning. One important development was the potential for models to improve their reasoning abilities through approaches such as chain-of-thought reasoning. OpenAI believed increasingly powerful models could deliver substantial value if the company continued scaling its capabilities. However, this required enormous computing resources. Altman recalled that OpenAI decided to make a massive investment in computing infrastructure, even though the rest of the industry had not fully understood what the company had seen in GPT-4. He described the decision as effectively betting the company on acquiring significantly more computing capacity. The alternative was to make a smaller investment and scale AI development more cautiously. However, Altman believed that approach would limit the company’s ability to capitalise on the technology’s potential. The decision highlights an important aspect of today’s AI race: developing advanced models is not simply about talented researchers or innovative algorithms. It also requires powerful chips, data centres, electricity and substantial financial resources. Why Sam Altman pushed for ChatGPT’s launch Perhaps one of the most fascinating revelations was that ChatGPT’s launch was not universally supported within OpenAI. Altman explained that several people inside the organisation believed the chatbot was being released too early and was not sufficiently polished. However, his experience at Y Combinator, the startup accelerator where he previously served as president, had shaped his approach to product development. He believed companies should release early versions of products, gather feedback, and improve them rather than spend excessive time trying to achieve perfection before launch. Explaining this philosophy, Altman offered a memorable piece of advice: “If you’re not a little embarrassed of your first version, you’re waiting too long to launch.” The race towards superintelligence and its biggest risks While Altman is optimistic about AI’s potential, he also recognises the enormous responsibility associated with developing increasingly capable systems. During the conversation, he identified two particularly concerning scenarios. The first is a loss of human control over AI systems. This could happen if highly advanced systems become so capable that humans can no longer reliably understand, control or reverse their actions. Altman summarised this concern by saying: “One is that there’s a loss of control to AI.” His second concern is the concentration of power. If a single company, individual or country controls technology significantly more powerful than anything available to others, the resulting imbalance could create serious societal and geopolitical problems. He expressed his discomfort with such a possibility directly: “I also have this dislike of too intense power concentration.” Altman explained his preference for a world where multiple organisations develop advanced AI systems using different approaches. Having several competing AI efforts could help prevent excessive concentration of power and ensure that no single organisation has disproportionate control over the technology. What makes a successful founder? Altman’s lessons on ambition Beyond artificial intelligence, the conversation offered insights into Altman’s approach to entrepreneurship. Drawing on his experience at Y Combinator, he explained that there is no single formula for building a successful startup. Different founders possess different strengths, personalities and approaches, and what works for one company may not work for another. As he pointed out: There are many different ways to be successful as a founder. However, he identified several characteristics that can make a significant difference, including clear communication, strong conviction, the ability to generate and improve ideas, and the willingness to remain committed when progress is slow. He also challenged the assumption that ambition is entirely an inborn quality. According to Altman, ambition can be developed through the right environment, supportive peer groups and progressively more difficult challenges. He put this belief into a simple statement: You can teach people to become more ambitious. He also observed that people often hesitate to pursue unconventional ideas because they prefer to follow what everyone else is doing. People want to stay part of the herd. Watching others accomplish difficult things can encourage individuals to believe they are capable of achieving more themselves. This is particularly relevant for aspiring entrepreneurs and young professionals, who may sometimes be held back not by a lack of ability but by the reluctance to attempt something unconventional. Altman also offered straightforward advice to people building their own ventures: Listen to less advice. He believes entrepreneurs should develop their own judgement instead of constantly seeking approval from others. While advice can be valuable, following every recommendation can prevent founders from developing the conviction needed to pursue their ideas. The personal cost of building the future Towards the end of the conversation, the discussion became more personal as Altman spoke about how leading OpenAI has changed his everyday life. He recalled having a relatively carefree lifestyle before the company’s rapid growth, with more time for hobbies, friends and spontaneous activities. Today, his schedule is considerably more demanding. Even something as ordinary as spending a Saturday afternoon working from a coffee shop has become difficult because of security arrangements. Altman acknowledged that the job is tiring and stressful but also described himself as fortunate to be working on something he considers extraordinarily important. His reflections offered a glimpse into the person behind one of the world’s most influential AI companies and reinforced a recurring theme throughout the interview: pursuing an ambitious vision often involves uncertainty, difficult decisions, and personal sacrifices. 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What does the future hold for AI?
Sam Altman’s conversation with Raj Shamani offers an interesting perspective on the opportunities and uncertainties surrounding artificial intelligence. His vision extends far beyond making chatbots more intelligent or automating routine tasks. He sees AI potentially becoming a powerful tool for scientific research, economic growth, entrepreneurship, and improving human capabilities. At the same time, his concerns about losing control of advanced AI systems and concentrating too much power in a handful of organisations highlight the importance of responsible development. For India, the opportunity is particularly significant. With more than 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, growing enthusiasm for AI and a large pool of technical talent, the country has the potential to become an important participant in the global AI economy. However, building indigenous AI capabilities and infrastructure will be equally important to ensure that India benefits from the technology beyond simply adopting products developed elsewhere.