OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. File photo
| Photo Credit: AP
IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu has invited OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to visit Hyderabad and see for himself how Telangana’s capital city is contributing to the changing AI landscape.
“We’d love to have you visit Hyderabad and witness firsthand how we’re changing the AI landscape and leading the way. And, of course, don’t miss out on indulging in our famous Irani Chai, Bun Maska, and a dash of Biryani”, the Minister said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on February 7.
The Minister’s invite comes close on the heels of Mr. Altman’s visit to India when he met Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Telangana never disappoints, Sridhar Babu said in the post to @sama, which is the X handle Mr. Altman uses, and tagged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the CMO and the State’s Special Chief Secretary IT and Industries Jayesh Ranjan.
“Glad to see you realising the potential of Indian AI and its true power to lead the world’s AI revolution. There is a lot more happening here than that meets the eye, and the real AI action is unfolding in Hyderabad, India! Skill upgrading, capability building, innovation, and startup confidence in AI are booming here,” the Minister said.
Telangana’s ambitious plans for an AI City
The invite assumes significance as Telangana sees for itself a larger role in contributing to the emerging AI landscape globally. The State had hosted an AI Summit in September and announced ambitious plans for an AI City to host the ecosystem players at scale.
Hyderabad is also keen on building on its global image of IT powerhouse of India that hosts some of the largest technology development facilities of leading firms such Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Qualcomm as also the global capability centres of hundreds of firms.
The Minister’s invite also comes in the backdrop of OpenAI CEO during his recent visit to India saying the remarks he made a few years ago about Indian firms cannot compete with US firms on building a foundational model for AI were taken out of context.
OpenAI was really excited to do a lot more in India, Mr. Altman in a conversation with the Union Minister in Delhi. Setting the context for his apparent interest in engaging with India was Chinese AI firm DeepSeek recently creating waves with its low cost large language model in the process giving firms like OpenAI run for their money.
Published – February 08, 2025 10:04 am IST
