In a public display at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei attracted attention with a nontraditional gesture—choosing not to join hands like others onstage but instead sharing a fist bump. The moment highlighted the growing competitiveness between their companies, as both seek to capitalize on India’s burgeoning digital landscape. With artificial intelligence becoming increasingly relevant to business and society, India’s status as the world’s most populous nation and its expanding online activity make it a strategic priority for leading AI firms. Industry observers note that how these companies embed themselves in India’s growth could reshape the global AI sector. The contrast in their approaches hints at differing visions for the nation’s evolving role in artificial intelligence.
Recent updates build on earlier coverage of OpenAI and Anthropic’s efforts to expand internationally. Several reports highlighted their rapid global growth, but only recently have both companies intensified direct competition over India’s vast user base. While OpenAI long held a first-mover advantage in India, Anthropic’s recent initiatives reflect a more aggressive bid for presence compared to more measured expansion observed earlier. Previous reporting focused on partnerships and product launches in other regions, but the current wave of announcements underscores a stronger commitment to local engagement activities and infrastructure investments within India.
How Are OpenAI and Anthropic Structuring Their Efforts in India?
Both OpenAI and Anthropic have unveiled a series of new projects aimed at strengthening their influence in the Indian market. OpenAI’s initiatives are designed to broaden access to its ChatGPT technology through the “OpenAI for India” program, which involves launching additional offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru as well as increasing its partnership efforts with Tata Group’s data center division. Anthropic, meanwhile, is focusing on the enterprise sector, offering its Claude tools to Indian business customers and collaborating with Infosys to deliver custom AI solutions to major industries. “India is the world’s largest democracy and can be a partner and leader in addressing the global security and economic risks of the technology,” stated Dario Amodei at the summit.
What Partnerships and Local Investments Are Shaping the Landscape?
Anthropic is preparing to open its first office in Bengaluru and has brought on experienced Microsoft executive Irina Ghose to direct local operations. These moves are paired with efforts to adapt its AI models to various widely spoken Indian languages and initiatives to engage with India on issues such as AI impact assessments and safety testing. OpenAI’s infrastructure expansion pivots on its collaboration with Tata Group, starting with data centers equipped with 100 megawatts of computing power, with plans to escalate capacity over time. Additionally, other tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are committing billions to India’s AI and cloud ecosystem, intensifying competition.
Does Rivalry Impact Public Perception and Product Strategies?
Marketing tactics have shown the companies’ rivalry crossing into the public domain. Anthropic’s recent advertising campaign, aired during the Super Bowl, directly addressed OpenAI’s testing of advertisement-supported models for ChatGPT, prompting a strong response from Altman. The personal dynamic between the CEOs, including their origins—Amodei’s departure from OpenAI to establish Anthropic—appears to shape both organizational and product narratives. OpenAI maintains a consumer-centric approach, while Anthropic targets enterprise customers with technologies designed for specific sectors. “India is well positioned to lead in A.I.—not just to build it, but to shape it,” said Sam Altman during his keynote speech.
India’s growing significance within the competitive strategies of OpenAI and Anthropic reflects the increasing global relevance of its digital infrastructure and user base. As both AI companies pursue different approaches—one oriented toward infrastructure and consumer access, and the other toward enterprise partnerships and model localization—the competition will likely accelerate advancements across sectors ranging from telecommunications to manufacturing. Readers interested in how AI technologies are commercialized may find India’s role illustrative of broader trends facing emerging digital economies. In observing the expansion of OpenAI’s and Anthropic’s activities, it becomes clear that market entry paired with local adaptation and partnership is crucial for international technology firms seeking sustainable growth. Stakeholders in India and beyond may benefit from monitoring how these strategies affect software access, job markets, and AI development priorities in the coming years.
