OpenAI partners with Reliance to bring AI search to JioHotstar

OpenAI is partnering with Reliance to integrate AI-powered conversational search into JioHotstar, an Indian streaming service. Under the partnership, the conversational search feature will be powered by ChatGPT. This integration is designed to allow users to search for content on the streaming platform using natural language, making it easier to find movies, shows, and live sports.

The partnership was announced at the India AI Impact Summit, where OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared alongside other industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The deal is part of a broader initiative to expand OpenAI’s footprint in India. As part of this push in the South Asian nation, OpenAI plans to open offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru later this year. These new locations will support the company’s operations in a market that already has more than 100 million weekly ChatGPT users. OpenAI’s broader initiative in India also includes partnerships with other local companies, including the Tata Group, Pine Labs, Eternal, and MakeMyTrip.

The collaboration reflects a wider trend of streaming and television platforms adopting conversational AI interfaces. In May 2025, Netflix was testing a new search experience using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to help viewers find content through natural language. Later, in November, Google introduced Gemini-powered discovery features for its Google TV platform to improve how users find programming.

The agreement between OpenAI and Reliance is designed to function as a two-way discovery layer. Beyond integrating search into the streaming service, the companies plan to extend the partnership to surface JioHotstar recommendations directly within ChatGPT. This will allow users who search for entertainment content inside ChatGPT to receive recommendations and deep links back to JioHotstar. Uday Shankar, the vice chairperson of JioStar—the parent company of JioHotstar—noted that “Embedding AI into content discovery will help reshape how audiences find and engage with programming.” Additionally, Fidji Simo, the chief executive of applications at OpenAI, stated that the partnership aims to help viewers move from curiosity to context through natural interactions.

Why it matters

The partnership creates a two-way discovery layer, allowing users to search for content within JioHotstar via AI and receive JioHotstar recommendations directly inside ChatGPT, deepening the integration between the two platforms.