ChatGPT maker OpenAI hires Pragya Misra as first employee in India, says Report

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has reportedly made its first hire in India, appointing Pragya Misra as the head of government relations and public policy.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Microsoft-backed AI giant onboarded Misra to oversee public policy affairs and to forge partnerships in India. She will commence her duties by the end of this month, the report said.

Who is Pragya Misra?

Pragya Misra brings significant experience to her new role at OpenAI. Aged 39, Misra previously served as the Director of Public Affairs for Truecaller, where she collaborated closely with government ministries, investors, key stakeholders, and media partners.

Before joining Truecaller, she worked for three years with Meta Platforms. Notably, she led WhatsApp's campaign against misinformation in 2018 and has also worked with Ernst & Young and the Royal Danish Embassy in Delhi.

Misra completed her MBA from the International Management Institute in 2012 and her Bachelor's degree in commerce from Delhi University. Additionally, she has a diploma in Bargaining and Negotiations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

India's focus on AI regulation

The timing of Misra's appointment coincides with the upcoming new administration in India, which is expected to have a considerable impact on the future of AI regulation in the country.

The current focus of the government includes the development of the Digital India Act (DIA), which aims to address the challenges posed by new technologies, including AI, particularly from the aspect of user harm.

Sam Altman's recent India visit 

During his visit to India last year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the integration of AI technologies with government services such as healthcare.

Altman emphasized the need for supportive regulations that could foster such integrations, suggesting that governments are currently lagging in this area. Moreover, he highlighted India as an early adopter of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and expressed concerns about potential harms from AI, indicating the need for imminent regulatory changes.

Facing competition from Google

OpenAI faces stiff competition in India from other tech giants like Google, which is developing an AI model tailored for the Indian market that supports over 100 local languages. Google aims to extend internet access beyond the urban, English-speaking population, thus broadening the technology’s reach.