OpenAI partners with IIT, IIM to build AI-ready talent
OpenAI on Wednesday announced partnerships with leading Indian universities to embed artificial intelligence across management, health, engineering, creative and multidisciplinary education, aiming to build AI-ready talent for a tech-driven economy.
The first cohort includes Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), and Pearl Academy, OpenAI said in a statement.
The initiative will support over 1 lakh students, faculty and staff over the next year, moving beyond basic access to AI tools toward campus-wide integration anchored in responsible use and academic integrity. Raghav Gupta, Head of Education, OpenAI India, said, “AI literacy is essential to building a future-ready generation. Studies project that by 2030, nearly 40 per cent of the core skills workers rely on today will change, driven largely by AI.”
“Yet, a gap remains between what AI tools can do and how people are using them. Education institutions are a critical route to bridge this gap. By embedding AI tools, training, and research into the core infrastructure of schools and universities, they can equip students with the skills needed to thrive in a world with AI,” he said. The collaboration will include enterprise-grade ChatGPT Edu access, structured onboarding, discipline-specific implementation guidance and responsible-use frameworks aligned with institutional policies.
AI fluency will be integrated into core academic workflows such as advanced prompting, analytics, coding, simulations, case analysis and AI-assisted research. OpenAI will also support hackathons, build days and Industry Days connecting campus innovation with startups and enterprises.
Additionally, IIM Ahmedabad and Manipal Academy of Higher Education will deploy OpenAI certifications to formalise structured AI capability pathways within business and multidisciplinary programmes. Beyond campuses, OpenAI is collaborating with ed-tech platforms PhysicsWallah, upGrad and HCL GUVI to launch structured AI courses focused on fundamentals and practical ChatGPT applications for students and early-career professionals.
