OpenAI Taps Ex-Uber India Chief for Country Expansion

OpenAI has appointed Prabhjeet Singh, formerly the president of Uber India and South Asia, as its first managing director for India. This appointment underscores India's growing importance as OpenAI's second-largest market, trailing only the United States.

Singh, who begins his role in September, will report to the Asia-Pacific managing director. His responsibilities will encompass driving consumer growth, fostering enterprise adoption, building partnerships, and managing regulatory relations and operations within India.

The company has significantly ramped up its investment in India. OpenAI established its first office in New Delhi last August and announced plans for new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru earlier this year. They have also expanded their leadership team, hiring key figures to focus on policy, strategy, and government engagement.

OpenAI has forged several partnerships in India across higher education, enterprise payments, AI-powered commerce, and web streaming. The company notes the rapid adoption of ChatGPT in India as a key indicator of the market's potential. Major Indian conglomerates like Reliance and Tata Group are among its early partners.

India's large developer base, over a billion internet users, and burgeoning demand for generative AI make it a critical battleground for U.S. AI firms. Competitor Anthropic also recently established its India office and appointed a country head, highlighting the competitive landscape.