From Unicorn Dreams to AI Dominion: Bhavish Aggarwal’s Krutrim AI Reshapes the Future of Tech in India
In an extraordinary feat, Krutrim AI, the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal, has emerged as India’s latest unicorn, securing a whopping $50 million in funding, with support from prominent investors, including Matrix Partners India. What sets this achievement apart is that Krutrim AI has swiftly soared to unicorn status within just a month of unveiling its powerful large language model, a remarkable feat in the world of technology.
Pioneering a New Era in Indian AI
Krutrim, which derives its name from the Sanskrit word for “artificial,” is not just content with being a unicorn. This AI startup has grand plans to transform the landscape of artificial intelligence. Beyond its language model, Krutrim is on a mission to develop state-of-the-art data centers and aims to eventually create advanced servers and supercomputers tailored to the unique needs of the AI ecosystem.
A Global Race for Indigenous AI
India is part of a global race to establish itself as a formidable player in the field of artificial intelligence. Inspired by the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Indian startups and academic groups are actively working on developing large language models in Indian languages, known as Indic LLMs. This pursuit represents a strategic move to reduce reliance on technology from the United States and China.
Noteworthy International Competitors
The ambition to build indigenous AI capabilities extends beyond India’s borders. In Europe, substantial investments are pouring into ventures like Mistral AI, a French startup valued at $2 billion, founded just last year. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates proudly showcases its Falcon model, backed by a government research institute in Abu Dhabi.
India’s Pragmatic Approach
India, with its colossal population of 1.4 billion, is adopting a pragmatic approach by focusing on constructing smaller, cost-efficient AI systems. Sarvam, a generative AI startup, recently made headlines by launching OpenHathi, its first open-source Hindi large language model. This initiative followed a successful funding round, where Sarvam secured $41 million from investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners and billionaire Vinod Khosla.
A Vision for India’s AI Future
Bhavish Aggarwal, the visionary founder of Indian ride-hailing giant Ola, underscores the importance of India building its own AI capabilities. “We are fully committed towards building the country’s first complete AI computing stack,” Aggarwal states emphatically.
As India marches forward in its quest to harness the potential of artificial intelligence, Krutrim AI stands at the forefront, a beacon of innovation and determination. With its rapid rise to unicorn status and its ambitious plans for the AI landscape, Krutrim AI is a testament to India’s growing prominence in the global tech arena. The future indeed looks promising for this trailblazing AI startup and the larger Indian AI ecosystem.
