OpenAI's Strategy Head in India Reveals Codex Writes 80% of Company’s Code

Pragya Misra, Head of Strategy & Global Affairs for OpenAI on Friday said that almost 80% of the company’s code is written using its coding tool codex, which is why they are able to release products quicker.

At the India Innovation Day 2026 event, Misra said, “The pace at which we are releasing products is very much attributable to Codex. Most of the products that you see coming out…almost 80% of code at OpenAI is written using Codex.”

The answer came in response to a question by Ankur Warikoo, founder of WebVeda, on how founders should prepare for the new products from OpenAI, that can potentially commoditise their businesses.

Misra also stated that if founders are not excited or looking forward to the next update from OpenAI, and instead feel worried or anxious, it likely means they are not building the right product. She said that unless a solution is backed by deep IP, strong domain expertise, or access to unique datasets that the rest of the world does not have, it becomes difficult to build a lasting moat.

Winners in AI

In the same discussion, Misra stated that founders with a deep technical understanding, those who truly understand models very well are going to be the winners.

She added that she does not agree with the growing narrative that people should stop learning to code or avoid becoming engineers, because having strong technical expertise will help founders build far more successful companies.

She further said that speed itself can be a moat. If a company is building very quickly and stays ahead of the curve, even by two to three months, it can significantly improve its chances of building a successful business. While speed alone may not sustain a company for decades, it can certainly provide a strong advantage in the short run.

Founders Focus Points

During the discussion, Warikoo asked, what do founders not recognise while building for India at scale?

Misra responded that understanding the target audience you are trying to solve for and serve is “very, very critical.” She added that lowering the friction in the solutions and products being offered is also a core aspect founders need to focus on.

Misra further noted that she is seeing more Indians become increasingly value-conscious. Therefore, she said, it is important to understand Indian consumer behaviour, as merely producing the best product or putting out the best solution is not going to cut it.

“If you don't really necessarily spend a lot of time understanding the Indian consumer, you're not going to be able to have that scale of success,” she said.