Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal has responded to comments made by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2023, in which Altman dismissed the potential of AI startups outside of Silicon Valley. Mittal’s remarks come in light of DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed AI model, matching the performance of OpenAI’s top models and surpassing ChatGPT on the iOS App Store.
In a post on X, Mittal referenced Altman’s 2023 statement, which claimed it was "totally hopeless" for India to compete with OpenAI in developing AI models.
He quoted Altman’s words, adding, "While India hasn’t done it yet, I’m glad somebody made him less smug. Apna time bhi aayega," indicating his belief that other challengers could rise despite Altman’s dismissive attitude.
‘It is completely hopeless to compete with us’ @sama words to India in 2023. While 🇮🇳 hasn’t done it yet, am glad somebody made him less smug. Apna time bhi aayega 💪🏼
— Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) January 30, 2025
Mittal’s comments came after DeepSeek’s R1 model, developed at a fraction of OpenAI’s investment, has shown remarkable results. The Chinese AI model, which cost just $6 million to develop, has been able to match OpenAI’s O1 model, a feat that comes despite OpenAI and Microsoft’s extensive investments in the field.
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The debate surrounding Altman’s remarks was reignited when a video resurfaced of the OpenAI CEO speaking at an ET Now summit in 2023.
At the event, when asked if an Indian team with a $10 million budget could build a competitive AI model, Altman said, "We’re gonna tell you it’s totally hopeless to compete with us on training foundation models." His comments were widely criticised at the time.
In the same vein, Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath also weighed in, suggesting that India’s short-term mindset and “Jugaad mentality” were hindering the country’s AI ambitions.
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Kamath pointed to China’s rapid growth in scientific and technological advancements, including DeepSeek’s success, to highlight the need for long-term, focused thinking in addressing India’s challenges.