A seemingly light-hearted social media post by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stirred a wave of curiosity and scepticism in India. Altman shared an AI-generated anime image of himself as a cricket player dressed in an Indian jersey, which quickly went viral among Indian users.

While some saw it as a fun gesture, others questioned the timing and motives, speculating whether it was part of a broader strategy to woo Indian audiences. This isn't the first time Altman has publicly praised India.

In recent weeks, he lauded the country's rapid adoption of AI technology, calling it 'amazing to watch' and even said it was outpacing the rest of the world. His comments marked a shift from a more dismissive stance during a 2023 visit when he doubted India's potential to compete with OpenAI's large-scale models.

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However, during his return visit in February 2025, he expressed interest in collaborating with Indian authorities on affordable AI solutions. The timing of Altman's praise coincides with a surge in Indian users on OpenAI's platforms, now the company's second-largest market.

Meanwhile, OpenAI faces a legal tussle with several Indian media outlets over their alleged content misuse. Despite this, the potential of India's booming AI market-projected to hit$8 billion by 2025-makes the country a critical frontier for global tech firms.

Experts argue that Altman's overtures are more about business than sentiment. With increasing competition from rival AI models like DeepSeek and Gemini, maintaining and growing OpenAI's Indian user base has become vital. As technology analyst Nikhil Pahwa said, 'There's no real love; it's just business.'