OpenAI has begun hiring for sales leadership roles in India and plans to open its first office in New Delhi by the end of 2025.

The company has posted three positions on its careers page: account director, digital natives; account director, large enterprise; and account director, strategics.

These roles will focus on managing client relationships and driving sales for OpenAI’s products and services.

India is ChatGPT’s second-largest market, and CEO Sam Altman plans to visit the country in September.

OpenAI recently launched ChatGPT Go, a cheaper subscription plan for Indian users priced at around US$4.60 per month.

This move comes as other AI firms, including Perplexity and Google, have also introduced India-focused products and partnerships.

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🔗 Source: The Economic Times

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Sales-first approach reflects India’s complex market entry requirements

OpenAI’s decision to lead with three specialized sales roles, targeting digital natives, large enterprises, and strategic accounts, aligns with established best practices for entering the Indian market.

Market entry experts consistently emphasize that successful expansion into India requires understanding diverse customer segments and building strong local relationships rather than applying one-size-fits-all approaches23.

The focus on account directors rather than technical roles suggests OpenAI recognizes that relationship-building and customer education are critical first steps in India’s business environment.

This strategy reflects recommendations that companies must conduct granular market analysis and adapt their business models to local conditions, particularly given India’s 29 states and 7 union territories, each presenting unique market dynamics2.

The specialized roles for different customer segments, from tech-forward digital natives to complex enterprise deployments, demonstrate OpenAI’s recognition that India’s diverse economy requires tailored approaches for different market segments.

2️⃣ Timing capitalizes on India’s exceptional AI adoption momentum

OpenAI’s expansion comes as India leads global AI adoption at 30%, significantly higher than the global average of 26%4.

This strong adoption rate is backed by substantial enterprise commitment, with 87% of Indian companies making significant progress on AI strategies in 2024 and 76% reporting positive returns on their AI investments5.

The market timing appears particularly strategic given that 93% of Indian companies plan to increase AI investments in 2025, with many moving beyond pilot projects to full-scale deployment5.

Sam Altman’s observation that ChatGPT users grew 4x in the past year in India1 aligns with broader data showing over 70% of Indian organizations have moved AI implementations beyond pilot phases4.

The launch of ChatGPT Go at ₹399 per month, which converted 73% of users into paying customers, demonstrates both the price sensitivity and willingness to pay for AI services in the Indian market6.

Recent OpenAI developments

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