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

OpenAI partners with Indian universities

OpenAI is partnering with six leading Indian academic institutions to integrate its AI tools into the country’s higher-education system. The initiative aims to reach 100,000 students, faculty, and staff within the next year. This move marks the company’s first major push to embed its technology directly into the academic infrastructure of one of the world’s largest talent markets.

The partnership includes a mix of public and private institutions across various disciplines. OpenAI is targeting engineering, management, medical, and design schools to ensure its tools reach a broad demographic of future professionals. The company announced the deal on Wednesday during the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

The first group of academic partners includes some of the most prestigious names in Indian education:

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi
• Manipal Academy of Higher Education
• Several specialized design and private universities

OpenAI is shifting its focus from general consumer use to deep institutional integration. While millions of Indians already use the free version of ChatGPT, this program provides campuses with ChatGPT Edu. This version of the tool includes enterprise-level security and higher message limits designed specifically for university environments.

Students get ChatGPT Edu access

The partnership centers on embedding AI into core academic workflows rather than offering it as a standalone chatbot. OpenAI says students and faculty will use the tools for coding, research, data analytics, and case study analysis. The company is also providing training for faculty members to help them incorporate AI into their existing curricula.

Two institutions, IIM Ahmedabad and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, will go a step further by offering OpenAI-backed certifications. These credentials will verify a student's proficiency in using AI tools for professional tasks. The move suggests OpenAI wants to set the standard for AI literacy in the Indian workforce.

OpenAI is also deploying responsible-use frameworks as part of the rollout. These guidelines help universities manage concerns around academic integrity and data privacy. By establishing these rules early, OpenAI aims to normalize AI as a standard tool for higher education rather than a controversial shortcut.

The company believes that educational institutions are the fastest way to close the gap between advancing technology and workforce skills. Raghav Gupta, OpenAI’s head of education for India and Asia-Pacific, says the demand for AI skills is shifting rapidly across the global economy. Gupta joined OpenAI recently after serving as a managing director for Coursera in the region.

Ed-tech firms join the rollout

OpenAI is extending its reach beyond physical campuses through partnerships with major Indian ed-tech platforms. The company is working with Physics Wallah, upGrad, and HCL GUVI to offer AI training to students and early-career professionals. These platforms reach millions of users who may not be enrolled in traditional four-year universities.

These ed-tech partners will launch structured courses focused on AI fundamentals. The curriculum will cover specific use cases for ChatGPT in professional settings, such as software development and business administration. This strategy allows OpenAI to capture the upskilling market, which is a massive sector in India’s digital economy.

The collaboration with Physics Wallah is particularly significant given the platform's massive reach among students preparing for competitive exams. By integrating OpenAI tools into these platforms, the company ensures that the next generation of Indian engineers and doctors is familiar with its ecosystem before they even enter the workforce.

OpenAI is also utilizing its Learning Accelerator program to support these initiatives. This program focuses on expanding technical AI skills in emerging markets. The goal is to build a local ecosystem of developers and researchers who can build on top of OpenAI’s models.

Big tech fights for India

India has become the primary battleground for global AI companies seeking to expand their user bases. CEO Sam Altman previously noted that India is OpenAI’s second-largest user base after the United States. The country currently has over 100 million monthly active users on ChatGPT, making it a critical market for the company’s long-term growth.

OpenAI faces stiff competition from other tech giants who are also targeting the Indian education sector. Google recently reported that India represents the highest global usage of its Gemini tools for learning purposes. Microsoft also announced an expansion of its Elevate program this week, which aims to train teachers across vocational and higher-education institutes in AI skills.

The competition between these firms is summarized by several key metrics:

• OpenAI: 100 million active users in India; partnering with 6 top-tier institutes.
• Google: Highest global Gemini usage for education; deep integration with Android and Workspace.
• Microsoft: Working with government agencies to scale teacher training through the Elevate program.

This race to dominate the classroom is about more than just current user numbers. By influencing how AI is taught and governed in India, these companies are competing to define the technological standards for the future. For India, the influx of investment helps build domestic capacity and prepares its massive youth population for an AI-driven global economy.

OpenAI’s expansion follows the hiring of several key executives in the region to manage government relations and educational partnerships. The company is clearly moving away from being a Silicon Valley export and toward becoming a permanent fixture in India’s institutional landscape. This strategy ensures that as AI becomes a requirement for employment, OpenAI remains the primary provider of those skills.