OpenAI has teamed up with Reliance Industries to introduce AI-powered conversational search on JioHotstar, marking a significant shift in how Indian viewers discover content across streaming and live sports. The new feature, built using OpenAI’s API, allows users to search for films, series, and live matches through natural text and voice prompts in multiple Indian languages. Instead of relying on keyword-based queries, viewers can describe what they feel like watching and receive suggestions tailored to their preferences and viewing history.
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Announced at India AI Impact Summit
The partnership was unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit, where Sam Altman shared the stage with global AI leaders including Dario Amodei and Sundar Pichai.
India has become a critical market for OpenAI, now home to over 100 million weekly ChatGPT users. The company plans to expand its physical presence with new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru later this year, complementing its existing base in New Delhi.
A Two-Way Discovery Experience
The collaboration goes beyond improving search inside the streaming app. OpenAI and JioHotstar are working on integrating the platform’s catalogue directly into ChatGPT. Users who look for entertainment recommendations through ChatGPT will receive contextual suggestions along with deep links that take them straight into JioHotstar’s library.
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This effectively creates a two-way discovery layer: audiences can either browse within the streaming app using conversational AI or discover content through ChatGPT and transition seamlessly to the platform.
Streaming’s Conversational Turn
The move reflects a broader industry shift toward conversational interfaces in media discovery. In May 2025, Netflix began testing a natural language search experience powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Earlier, in November, Google introduced Gemini-driven discovery features for its Google TV platform.
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For OpenAI, the JioHotstar integration aligns with its effort to bring AI closer to everyday consumer experiences, particularly in entertainment and live sports. Fidji Simo, Chief Executive of Applications at OpenAI, said the goal is to enable users to move “from curiosity to context” through more intuitive interactions.
Uday Shankar, Vice Chairperson of JioStar, said embedding AI into content discovery will reshape how audiences find and engage with programming, especially as live and on-demand formats continue to converge.
Part of a Broader India Push
The partnership forms part of OpenAI’s wider “OpenAI for India” initiative, aimed at expanding its footprint across infrastructure, enterprise adoption, and education in the country. Recent collaborations include work with the Tata Group on AI-ready data centres and enterprise deployments, alongside agreements with Indian firms such as Pine Labs, Eternal, and MakeMyTrip.
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As streaming platforms compete for attention in an increasingly crowded market, conversational AI may become central to how viewers navigate vast content libraries. With India’s scale and linguistic diversity, the JioHotstar rollout will serve as a key test case for how well AI-driven discovery can work across live events, regional programming, and on-demand entertainment.
