'Taken out of context': Sam Altman responds to Tech Mahindra CEO's 'challenge accepted' comment

Sam Altman said that he had no doubt that Indian startups can contribute a new thing to the world.

Sam Altman has replied to the video shared by Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani in which the OpenAI CEO can be heard saying that India's chances of building a ChatGPT-like tool was 'hopeless'.

Altman said that a wrong question had been asked to him and reiterated that with an investment of $10 million, India would find it tough to compete with OpenAI.

"this is really taken out of context! the question was about competing with us with $10 million, which i really do think is not going to work. but i still said try! however, i think it’s the wrong question," Altman wrote on Saturday.

"the right question is what a startup can do that’s never been done before, that will contribute a new thing to the world. i have no doubt indian startups can and will do that! and no one but the builders can answer that question," he added.

this is really taken out of context! the question was about competing with us with $10 million, which i really do think is not going to work. but i still said try! however, i think it’s the wrong question.

— Sam Altman (@sama) June 10, 2023

the right question is what a startup can do that’s never been done before, that will contribute a new thing to the world. i have no doubt indian startups can and will do that! and no one but the builders can answer that question.

Related stories

• 
  Heartbroken Japanese woman marries her ChatGPT boyfriend in a real-life wedding ceremony
• 
  Sam Altman announces ChatGPT no longer forces em dashes into your writing: Here’s why users hated ...
• 
  OpenAI is testing group chats in ChatGPT in select countries: What it is and how it will work

— Sam Altman (@sama) June 10, 2023

Thank you for clarifying Point taken.
— CP Gurnani (@C_P_Gurnani) June 10, 2023

At an event, Altman was asked by former Vice President of Google in India and South East Asia and current venture capitalist Rajan Anandan whether India can build an artificial intelligence tool such as ChatGPT. 

"Sam, we have got a very vibrant ecosystem in India, but specifically focussing on AI, are there spaces where you see a startup from India building foundational (AI) models how should we think about that, where is it that a team from India (should start) to actually build something truly substantial?," Anandan asked at an event organised by The Economic Times.

"The way this works is we're going to tell you, it's totally hopeless to compete with us on training foundation models you shouldn't try, and it's your job to like try anyway. And I believe both of those things. I think it is pretty hopeless," Altman said, in reply.

Also read: OpenAI's Sam Altman tweets pic with PM Modi, praises India's 'incredible tech ecosystem'