From critic to clean bowled? Altman says India 'outpacing the world', shares anime-style image in Indian cricket jersey

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Thursday lauded India's rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), noting that the country's surge in creativity is surpassing global trends. In a post on X, Altman remarked, "What's happening with AI adoption in India right now is amazing to watch. We love to see the explosion of creativity—India is outpacing the world." ​

Following this, Altman also shared an anime-style image of himself as an Indian cricket player. He captioned the image with the prompt used to create it: "prompt: sam altman as a cricket player in anime style." ​

The tweet comes amid surging demand for Studio Ghibli-inspired artworks using AI tools and the IPL cricket fever. The trend has gained significant traction in India, with numerous users generating and sharing their own anime-style portraits. 

At  the peak of the Studio Ghibli-style image trend, Indian fans flooded social media with AI-generated recreations of iconic cricketing moments, spanning from the historic 1983 and 2011 World Cup wins to recent triumphs like the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Earlier this year, during a visit to India, Altman emphasized the nation's growing significance in the global AI landscape. He stated that India should take the lead in artificial intelligence and become a central player in the AI ecosystem. Notably, India has emerged as the second-largest market for OpenAI, further cementing its position as a key player in the AI revolution. ​

OpenAI has been expanding its footprint in India, with growing interest from businesses, developers, and policymakers in leveraging its AI models for various applications. The country's thriving tech ecosystem and government-backed digital initiatives have fueled rapid AI adoption, making India a key market for OpenAI's tools and research collaborations.