Anthropic ropes in Microsoft ex-executive Irina Ghose as managing director of India

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) AI firm Anthropic on Friday said it has roped in Irina Ghose as managing director of its largest market, India.

Before joining Anthropic, Ghose was managing director at Microsoft India, where she led enterprise AI adoption across major industries, including BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance), manufacturing, healthcare, technology services, and government.

The appointment of Ghose strengthens the company's "commitment to India as responsible AI deployment accelerates amongst developers, enterprises, and the broader innovation ecosystem", Anthropic said in a statement.

Ghose has more than three decades of experience in scaling technology businesses, comprising leadership roles across sales, enterprise solutions, education, and go-to-market strategy, with a consistent focus on using technology to drive meaningful business and societal impact, according to the statement.

"India has a real opportunity to shape how AI is built and deployed at scale. Indian organisations are moving beyond experimentation toward applied AI, where trust, safety, and long-term impact matter as much as innovation. Anthropic's mission resonates with my belief that technology should empower people, expand access, and create lasting value across India's diverse languages and communities," Ghose said.

Anthropic CEO and Co-founder Dario Amodei, during his India trip in October, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He discussed India's role in shaping the future of responsible AI.

Following his meeting with the prime minister, the company announced plans to expand operations in India with a new Bengaluru office opening in 2026. Anthropic plans to hire local talent and work with Indian businesses, non-profits, and startups to apply AI in areas such as education, agriculture, and healthcare.

India ranks as the second-largest market globally for Claude.ai usage. Anthropic's latest Economic Index shows that Indian users have a striking focus on technical applications, with nearly half of all Claude.ai usage concentrated in computer and mathematical tasks.

"Irina's expertise in scaling technology businesses and driving enterprise transformation makes her the ideal leader as we expand. As we grow our teams and deepen engagement across India's public and private sectors, Irina will ensure our approach is grounded in local insight and aligned with our mission," Anthropic Managing Director of International Chris Ciauri said.

The company also announced that CEO Amodei and several senior executives will travel to India in February to officially open Anthropic's office in Bengaluru and participate in the India AI Impact Summit and surrounding events.

At the Summit, Anthropic executives will engage with global leaders on advancing responsible AI development that prioritises safety, global access, and meaningful impact for humanity.

"Anthropic's growing team in India will allow the company to deepen its engagement with policymakers and academic institutions, strengthen relationships with enterprises, and build partnerships with developers and organisations using AI to address local challenges," the statement said. PTI PRS HVA