India (Commonwealth Union)_ OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is preparing to expand significantly in India, and leading the charge is Pragya Misra, its first and only employee in the country for now. Based in New Delhi, Misra is heading public policy and partnerships as the company works toward opening its first official office in India later this year. Sharing updates, Misra mentioned that several announcements are expected in the coming weeks, with a focus on hiring and developing AI tools that are built in India, for India, with the potential to scale globally.
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ChatGPT Go, a low-cost membership option for Indian consumers, was introduced recently at ₹399 per month. Misra stated that the need to make powerful AI technologies more affordable and accessible to a wider audience drove the price decisions. She also mentioned an increasing trend of AI use in India’s rural regions, particularly among farmers, who utilize tools like ChatGPT to assist them in determining what crops to plant, how to manage pests, which fertilizers to use, and where to sell their output. According to Misra, such use has already resulted in an estimated 35% increase in farmers’ revenue. She noted how OpenAI’s multilingual and voice-based capabilities are bridging digital divides, particularly among women in rural areas, such as Anganwadi and ASHA workers.
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The face of India’s OpenAI
Pragya Misra’s journey to OpenAI has been anything but ordinary. Before joining the AI firm, she served as Director of Public Affairs at Truecaller and was also WhatsApp’s first employee in India. In addition, she founded her startup, reflecting her entrepreneurial spirit and versatility across sectors. Now 39, Misra is an alumna of Delhi University, where she studied commerce. She holds an MBA from the International Management Institute and also studied bargaining and negotiations at the London School of Economics. Beyond the boardroom, Misra has an impressive background in sports. She’s one of India’s top amateur golfers and represented the country in international tournaments between 1998 and 2007.
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Bringing AI to the heart of India’s growth
India is now OpenAI’s second-largest market for ChatGPT users after the United States. It also ranks second globally in terms of its developer community size. Misra believes this puts the country in a strong position to lead in AI innovation, not just domestically but for the world. “We’re seeing incredible solutions coming from Indian developers in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, education, and accessibility,” she said. “What’s exciting is that many of these tools, while built for India, can also help solve problems in other regions, such as Africa and Southeast Asia.” She added that OpenAI is particularly interested in supporting this ecosystem by building closer relationships with developers, businesses, academia, and government bodies through its local presence.
A local office with a global vision
Last week, OpenAI confirmed that it has registered an official entity in India and is setting up its first office in New Delhi. The local team will work closely with a variety of stakeholders to shape AI policy, encourage innovation, and support the growing use of AI across industries. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously spoken about the unique opportunity India represents. “India has all the ingredients to become a global AI leader—amazing tech talent, a world-class developer ecosystem, and strong government support through initiatives like the IndiaAI Mission,” he said. With Pragya Misra at the helm of its India efforts, OpenAI seems poised to become a major force in the country’s AI journey, starting with one person and a bold vision to shape technology for over a billion people.
