OpenAI and Meta are in discussions regarding a potential partnership with Reliance Industries, an Indian conglomerate. The collaboration aims to enhance their artificial intelligence (AI) presence in India by leveraging Reliance’s extensive consumer and enterprise base, led by Mukesh Ambani. Reports indicate that OpenAI is exploring the distribution of its AI platform through Reliance Jio, while Reliance is looking at the feasibility of operating Llama models locally via Meta.
According to a report by The Information, both OpenAI and Meta have engaged in separate conversations with Reliance Industries recently. Citing two unnamed sources with knowledge of the discussions, the report indicates that the main focus is on broadening AI offerings in the region.
A significant aspect of the negotiations includes a potential collaboration between Reliance Jio, the telecom subsidiary of Reliance Industries, and OpenAI. The AI company is reportedly considering the distribution of ChatGPT through the telecom provider, which could lead to Jio offering discounted ChatGPT Plus subscriptions to its customers. However, specifics of this deal remain undisclosed.
Internally, OpenAI is said to be contemplating a reduction in subscription prices for its services, potentially lowering the cost of the Plus subscription, currently priced at Rs. 1,950 in India, by several dollars. This proposed price cut would not apply to the Pro or Team subscription tiers. It remains uncertain whether the topic of price adjustments was part of discussions with Reliance.
Additionally, Reliance is exploring the possibility of distributing OpenAI models to its enterprise clients through an application programming interface (API). This strategy includes plans to host and operate these AI models locally, ensuring that customer data remains within India.
The report further details that Reliance has engaged in discussions about deploying OpenAI and Meta’s AI models in a significant data center anticipated to be built in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Once operational, this facility is expected to be the largest data center globally, based on capacity.
Moreover, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) announced a new initiative called the Open Telecom AI Platform, in collaboration with AMD, Cisco, and Nokia. This initiative aims to co-develop and commercialize practical AI solutions specifically for the telecommunications industry.
