NEW DELHI — In a major boost to India’s tech ambitions, Sam Altman took to social media and public forums to express his admiration for the “energy and excitement” of Indian AI builders. Following his meeting with PM Modi on Friday, Altman noted that India has solidified its position as OpenAI’s second-largest market, exhibiting growth rates that are outpacing the rest of the world.
The Codex Explosion: 4x Growth in Two Weeks
One of the most significant revelations from Altman’s visit was the explosive growth of Codex, OpenAI’s AI-powered coding partner.
- Rapid Adoption: Weekly users for Codex in India have increased fourfold in just the past two weeks.
- Developer Hub: The surge highlights India’s transition into a “command center” for agentic coding and AI-driven software development.
PM Modi’s “Democratization” Strategy
Altman was particularly impressed by the Prime Minister’s focus on making AI accessible to all levels of society.
“I love the Prime Minister’s vision. I think his enthusiasm for the need to democratize this technology—which is something very near to our hearts—and his balancing that with making sure everyone in society benefits while mitigating risks was outstanding,” Altman stated.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026: A Global First
The summit, hosted in the national capital, marks the first time a global AI summit of this scale has been led by the Global South. It is built on three foundational pillars, or Sutras:
- People: Ensuring human-centric AI that safeguards individual rights.
- Planet: Focusing on environmentally sustainable AI development.
- Progress: Driving inclusive economic and technological advancement across the globe.
A Grand International Gathering
The summit’s scale reflects India’s growing diplomatic weight in the tech sector:
- Participation: Over 110 countries and 30 international organizations.
- High-Level Representation: Roughly 20 Heads of State/Government and 45 Ministers from across the globe converged in New Delhi to discuss responsible governance.
For Altman, the highlight of the trip was interacting with the “builders” at IIT Delhi, where he noted that the global community is finally seeing the “something special” happening within the Indian tech stack.