OpenAI expands India education push as AI literacy gains importance in hiring

For OpenAI, India is not only the second largest market of ChatGPT user, but also the largest student market globally.

In February, OpenAI announced partnerships with six leading institutions, namely IIT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, AIIMS New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, UPES and Pearl Academy, providing more than 100,000 ChatGPT Edu licences to students, faculty and staff. The company has since expanded beyond campuses, partnering with ed-tech platforms PhysicsWallah, upGrad and HCL GUVI to launch structured courses on AI fundamentals and practical ChatGPT applications.

The effort comes as India emerges as one of OpenAI’s fastest-growing markets. According to Raghav Gupta, Head of Education, India and Asia Pacific at OpenAI, the country now has more than 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, while education and learning-related queries run at twice the global median. 

“Our first cohort of Indian higher education partnerships is designed to reach more than 100,000 students, faculty, and staff over the next year. That scale is important. India has the opportunity to build one of the world’s first large-scale AI-enabled education ecosystems,” Gupta said.

The company’s ambitions extend beyond simply giving students access to AI tools. “Our partnerships with educational institutions in India are about helping institutions become AI-native,” Gupta said. “The real shift is that leading institutions are no longer asking whether students should use AI. They are asking how the institution itself must evolve for an AI-powered future.” 

AI revamps classroom

What OpenAI is witnessing in India goes beyond students using ChatGPT to summarise notes or prepare for examinations, and are already treating AI as a tool for creation rather than consumption. “We are also seeing students move very quickly from simply using AI to actively creating with it. Many are already experimenting with prototypes, AI agents, research workflows, and developer tools as part of their learning journey itself.”

That shift is unfolding at a time when educators and policymakers are trying to understand what an AI-enabled classroom should look like. An EY report on artificial intelligence in education argues that the conversation can no longer be limited to introducing new tools. Instead, institutions will need to rethink curriculum design, assessment methods, governance frameworks and the skills students will need in an AI-driven economy. The report also notes that trust will play a critical role in adoption, with safeguards, transparent policies and clear regulatory frameworks helping educational institutions integrate AI more confidently and responsibly. 

The changes are equally visible on the other side of the classroom—faculty. Much of the early experimentation among faculty has focused on reducing administrative workload. “Faculty adoption often starts with productivity, but quickly evolves into pedagogy.”

As AI becomes more embedded in teaching, some educators are beginning to explore new ways of engaging students. Simulations, case-based discussions, personalised learning pathways and multiple explanation styles are gradually finding their way into classrooms. “One of the biggest opportunities here is that AI can reduce repetitive workload and give educators more time for the uniquely human aspects of teaching: mentorship, critical thinking, creativity, and student engagement.”

AI literacy as a work skill

OpenAI is also positioning AI literacy as a foundational workplace skill, similar to digital literacy in earlier decades. TCS recently became the first organisation outside the United States to participate in OpenAI’s certification programme, while IIM Ahmedabad and Manipal Academy have also enrolled in certification initiatives.

“AI literacy is rapidly becoming a foundational workplace skill, much like digital literacy or internet fluency became in earlier generations,” Gupta said. “What employers increasingly value is not just whether someone has used AI tools, but whether they can use them thoughtfully to solve problems, communicate clearly, analyse information, build workflows, and improve productivity.” 

AI as a tool or shortcut?

The push comes amid a broader debate over whether AI tools are enhancing learning or encouraging intellectual shortcuts.

Last year, researchers at MIT’s Media Lab conducted a study involving 54 participants who were asked to write essays either with ChatGPT, with search engines, or without digital assistance. Using EEG brain scans, the researchers found that participants relying on ChatGPT showed the weakest neural connectivity and lower levels of cognitive engagement than those writing independently. The researchers described this as a potential build-up of “cognitive debt”. The study remains a preprint and has not yet completed peer review, making the findings as context-dependent which is focused on writing an essay in an educational setting.

The findings have fuelled concerns among educators that students could become overly dependent on AI-generated answers rather than developing critical thinking skills.

OpenAI argues that the answer lies in how AI is used. “Our view is that AI should support thinking, not replace it,” Gupta said. “The best educational use cases are not about giving students answers instantly, but helping them understand concepts more deeply, ask better questions, explore different perspectives, and receive personalized feedback.”

“We often think about AI less as an answer machine and more as a learning companion or thought partner.” 

The company believes educational institutions will need to redesign teaching and assessment methods as AI becomes more common in classrooms. “The balance comes from designing education systems where AI supports learning, but does not replace the learning process itself,” Gupta said. “Students still need to develop foundational skills, independent thinking, creativity, judgment, and problem-solving ability.”