In a significant move to deepen its engagement with the Indian education sector, OpenAI has launched an “India-first” Learning Accelerator. This initiative, announced in New Delhi, includes a ₹4.5 crore ($500,000) research grant to IIT-Madras and a massive distribution of five lakh (500,000) free ChatGPT licenses to educators and students across the country.
The program is a strategic bet on India, which already has the largest student population using ChatGPT globally. According to Leah Belsky, OpenAI’s Vice President of Education, India is a “lighthouse” for the company’s global education strategy. The accelerator aims to ensure that AI technology enhances learning rather than enabling shortcuts, bridging the digital divide by providing advanced tools to a wide range of institutions, including government schools.
A Two-Pronged Approach: Research and Access
The OpenAI Learning Accelerator is built on two key pillars: research and expanded access.
Research Collaboration
A central element is the research partnership with IIT-Madras. The ₹4.5 crore grant will fund long-term studies to explore how AI can improve teaching practices, learning outcomes, and cognitive development. The findings from this research will be made public, informing pedagogical methods and future product design for the AI company. “Partnering with OpenAI allows us to push the boundaries of innovation and prepare the next generation of educators and technologists,” said V Kamakoti, Director of IIT-Madras.
Free Licenses and Training
Over the next six months, 5 lakh free ChatGPT licenses will be distributed. These licenses, which provide access to premium features, will be given to teachers and students at government schools and AICTE-regulated technical institutions. The initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, AICTE, and the Alliance for Re-Imagining School Education (ARISE), will also include training programs to build AI literacy and confidence.
Localisation and Leadership
This announcement comes on the heels of other India-centric moves by OpenAI, including plans to open its first office in New Delhi and the launch of a low-cost, UPI-integrated subscription tier, ChatGPT Go. The company has also appointed Raghav Gupta, a former Coursera executive, as its new Head of Education for India and Asia Pacific to lead these efforts.
OpenAI believes that by tailoring its offerings to the Indian market—from local language support in GPT-5 to a new “Study Mode” designed with Indian learners in mind—it can create a blueprint for how AI can be leveraged for education globally. This concerted effort positions India as a key partner in OpenAI’s mission to ensure the benefits of AI are widely accessible and responsibly implemented.
