Prompted: AI, People and the Creative Spark Inside OpenAI’s Global Expansion with Oliver Jay, Managing Director
Jan 13, 2026
Oliver Jay, Managing Director of OpenAI International, dives into global AI expansion, drawing from his experiences at Dropbox and Asana. He explains how AI adoption accelerates compared to traditional products and emphasizes the need for parallel international rollouts. Oliver highlights partnerships with governments to prepare for AI’s impact, localizing AI models, and the crucial role of upskilling. He also envisions a future where voice applications break down barriers, making AI accessible for all.
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Childhood Walkman Inspiration
- Oliver Jay recalls receiving a Walkman on a childhood trip to Japan and being transported by music into another world.
- That early tech experience inspired his sense of how technology can create immersive experiences.
Study Mode Born From India Research
- OpenAI observed heavy student usage in India and sent researchers to study behavior firsthand.
- That research showed students wanted chain-of-thought tutoring, which led to building Study Mode as a tutor-like interface.
Models Learn Principles, Not Just Data
- Models learn linguistic principles and can generalize to languages beyond those used in explicit training.
- For culturally specific gaps, OpenAI partners with local experts and builds benchmarks like IndicQA to teach nuances.
