OpenAI makes first India hire in bid to shape regulation early

OpenAI makes first India hire in bid to shape regulation early

ChatGPT developer OpenAI hired its first employee in India, appointing a government relations head just as the country votes in a new administration that will shape artificial intelligence regulations in the world's most populous nation.

The Microsoft Corp. backed-company recruited Pragya Misra to lead public policy affairs and partnerships in India, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named as the appointment isn't yet public. Misra, 39, previously worked at Truecaller AB and Meta Platforms Inc. and is set to start at OpenAI toward the end of the month.

The hiring highlights the generative-AI company's efforts to push for favorable rules as governments around the world consider how to regulate the rapidly developing technology. India "- with its 1.4 billion people and a fast-growing economy "- is a massive growth opportunity for global tech companies, but it's also proven a difficult one to navigate because of lawmakers and regulators seeking to ensure local firms don't get trampled.

OpenAI representatives didn't respond to requests for comment outside regular US office hours. Misra didn't immediately respond to a LinkedIn message.

Misra previously headed public affairs at Stockholm-traded contact verification firm Truecaller, which counts India as a top market. Before