Sam Altman Bowls a Desi Doosra
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, stuns the internet with an AI-generated image of himself as an Indian cricketer. From calling Indian startups “hopeless” to donning the blue jersey, is it genuine admiration or just smart PR? A witty look at Altman’s sudden love affair with India.
Well, here’s a doosra nobody saw coming — Sam Altman, the wizard behind OpenAI and arguably the busiest man not playing cricket in India, has been clean bowled by the subcontinent’s favourite obsession. And no, we’re not talking about biryani.
On Thursday, Altman posted an image on X (formerly Twitter — or as the Brits would like to call it, ‘that bird app that’s lost its feathers’) of himself transformed into an anime-style cricketer, complete with a gleaming bat and — wait for it — the iconic blue of the Indian cricket jersey. The internet, predictably, went completely bonkers.
Now, AI-generated anime images aren’t particularly rare these days — everyone and their cat seems to be hopping on the Studio Ghibli trend. But this wasn’t just Altman cosplaying a cricketer. This was him donning India’s jersey. It was as if Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and a Gundam robot had a tech-savvy lovechild — and Altman was it.
Naturally, Indian netizens didn’t let this googly pass unchallenged.
“Trying hard to attract Indian customers, are we?” quipped one user, channeling the collective scepticism of a nation known for sniffing out marketing ploys quicker than a Mumbai aunty at a clearance sale.
Another chimed in, “Now awaiting your India announcement. How much of that $40 billion are we getting?” — referring to OpenAI’s not-so-modest war chest of fresh funding. A fair question, one must admit, especially when you’re parading in our cricket colours like you’re about to face Jasprit Bumrah at the Wankhede.
Some pointed out that Altman’s social media has lately resembled a love letter to India — albeit one scribbled in silicon. From praising India’s rapid adoption of AI to retweeting Ghibli-style images of PM Modi rubbing shoulders with Donald Trump (yes, really), he’s been laying it on thicker than a paneer butter masala.
One Redditor, clearly flummoxed, asked: “Can someone tell me what Sam Altman is talking about here?” Poor soul probably just wanted to find a recipe for aloo paratha and ended up neck-deep in geopolitical tech courtship.
But here’s the thing — Altman hasn’t always been so doe-eyed about India. In 2023, during a visit, he was asked whether a small, smart Indian start-up with just $10 million in its pocket could build something to rival OpenAI. His response? “Totally hopeless,” with the kind of bluntness that would make Simon Cowell blush.
Fast forward to this year, and suddenly he’s all, “Namaste, India! Let’s make low-cost AI together!” Following a chummy meeting with India’s federal minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, he declared the nation a trailblazer in AI adoption and gushed about India being OpenAI’s second-largest market.
Oh, how the turntables.
Some are calling this a pivot. Others are calling it strategy. One can’t help but suspect it’s less Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and more Show Me the Money.
Technology commentator Prasanto K Roy hit the nail on the head: the Studio Ghibli craze revealed just how large and enthusiastic India’s user base for ChatGPT truly is. And with homegrown competition like DeepSeek AI batting in the same league at a fraction of the cost, it’s clear Altman wants to keep Team India on side.
MediaNama’s Nikhil Pahwa agrees, suggesting that such gestures — while charming on the surface — are little more than calculated PR cover drives. “There’s no real love; it’s just business,” he said.
Still, one must admire Altman’s audacity. He may not have the footwork of a Virat or the swagger of a Dhoni, but when it comes to brand diplomacy, he’s certainly padded up and swinging for the fences.
So, will India be dazzled by the AI avatar in blue, or will they send Altman back to the pavilion for trying to pull a fast one? Time, as always, will tell.
In the meantime, Sam, if you’re reading this — next time, maybe throw in a little “Jai Hind” or a “Chak de India!” Just don’t try to bowl a spin delivery with ChatGPT — we’ve seen what it does with cricket metaphors, and it’s more Monty Python than Monty Panesar.
Author’s Note: No ChatGPTs were harmed in the making of this satire. Though one was mildly confused when asked to explain the Duckworth-Lewis method.
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