Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Former OpenAI Researcher Sees India Ready for Frontier AI
Shyamal Anadkat used to work at OpenAI and has returned to India.
He is creating a secret new company that will use AI to help scientists make discoveries.
AI can suggest new molecules or materials, but scientists still need to test those ideas in the real world.
His company wants to help manage that testing process.
Anadkat says more talented AI workers are thinking about returning to India.
He believes India has many skilled developers and more people willing to take risks on startups.
However, finding people with experience running very advanced AI systems is still difficult.
India also needs more computers, money and expert workers to build powerful AI.
He says teams should focus on creating useful products for people around the world.
Shyamal Anadkat returned to India after nearly four years at OpenAI to build a stealth venture focused on AI for scientific discovery.
His venture aims to connect AI-generated hypotheses with real-world simulations, experiments, measurements and verification.
Anadkat says talent from global labs, including OpenAI and Anthropic, is increasingly considering a return to India.
He estimates India has about 15,000 GPUs, but says researchers need sustained access to compute capacity.
He argues India must move beyond headcount-based technology exports and build globally trusted, complex AI products.
- Who
- Shyamal Anadkat, a former OpenAI researcher, and his new venture.
- What
- Anadkat is building a stealth venture focused on using AI to accelerate scientific discovery and make research and development more AI-native.
- When
- He returned to India earlier this year after nearly four years at OpenAI.
- Where
- India, with the venture operating from an unspecified location.
- Why
- He believes India has growing startup momentum, returning talent and the potential to build globally useful frontier AI systems, but needs better access to compute, capital and experienced researchers.
- Founder
- Shyamal Anadkat, a former OpenAI researcher
- Previous employer
- OpenAI, where Anadkat worked for nearly four years
- Venture focus
- AI infrastructure and scientific models for accelerating scientific discovery
- India's AI capacity
- Available compute capacity is described as closer to 15,000 GPUs
- AI skill penetration
- India's AI skill penetration is described as about three times the global average
- Key requirements
- Anadkat identifies compute, capital and talent as necessary for frontier models
- Government initiative
- The IndiaAI Mission is credited with doing good work, though Anadkat says more is needed