India’s Tech Scene Embraces Indic AI: Krutrim and AppsForBharat Lead the Way

AI and India
Discover how Krutrim, India's first AI unicorn, is leading the charge in the country's new fascination with Indic AI, revolutionizing tech with localized artificial intelligence solutions.

India’s tech industry is witnessing a fascinating shift as tech entrepreneurs and developers turn their attention towards Indic AI – artificial intelligence models built specifically for Indian languages. This surge of interest has given rise to innovative projects like Krutrim and the AppsForBharat initiative, aiming to counter the Western dominance of tools like ChatGPT.

The Need for Indic AI India’s linguistic diversity, with over 22 official languages and hundreds of dialects, creates a unique challenge for global AI tools. Language models trained primarily on English often struggle to understand the nuances and complexities of Indian languages, leading to inaccurate translations and limited functionality. Indic AI aims to bridge this gap, creating technology that is tailored to the needs of Indian users.

Krutrim: Pioneering Indic Language Models Krutrim, an open-source initiative, is leading the charge in developing Indic language models that can process text and speech in various Indian languages. These models promise to unlock a vast range of possibilities, from improved language translation to more inclusive digital services for non-English speakers.

AppsForBharat: Building for the Indian Audience The AppsforBharat initiative is another driving force behind the Indic AI movement. It encourages Indian developers to build applications specifically catered to the diverse needs of the country’s population. From e-commerce platforms in regional languages to agricultural solutions using Indic voice assistants, AppsForBharat aims to make technology accessible to a wider Indian audience.

The Potential Impact The development of Indic AI has far-reaching implications for India’s digital landscape. It could facilitate the breakdown of language barriers, allowing millions of Indians to access information and services previously limited to English speakers. Businesses can also benefit, connecting with a broader customer base in their local languages.

The Road Ahead While the Indic AI movement is still in its early stages, the enthusiasm and innovation of India’s tech community is fueling rapid progress. With continued support for initiatives like Krutrim and AppsForBharat, India is poised to emerge as a leader in developing language-inclusive AI technology.

In an unprecedented leap forward for the Indian technology landscape, the nation’s tech enthusiasts and startups are fervently adopting Indic AI, marking a significant shift towards localized artificial intelligence solutions. Leading the vanguard of this movement is Krutrim, India’s inaugural AI unicorn, which has recently captivated the industry by raising $50 million in funding, propelling it to a billion-dollar valuation.

Founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, better known for his ride-hailing service Ola, Krutrim has quickly become a beacon of innovation within the AI domain. The startup, whose name resonates with “artificial” in Sanskrit, aims to revolutionize the AI computing stack by introducing a series of multilingual large language models named Krutrim and Krutrim Pro. These models, trained on a vast dataset of 2 trillion tokens, including a significant portion of Indian data, have shown exceptional capability in understanding and generating text in 22 Indian languages. According to industry benchmarks, Krutrim’s AI models have even surpassed the performance of OpenAI’s GPT-4 in handling Indic languages.

Aggarwal’s vision extends beyond mere software innovation. Krutrim is also venturing into hardware development, with plans to design AI-optimized chips and establish indigenous data centers. This ambition underscores a broader strategy to build a complete AI computing ecosystem that caters specifically to India’s unique linguistic and cultural diversity. Moreover, Krutrim’s approach emphasizes an “India-first” cost structure, making its AI solutions more accessible to local businesses and developers. The startup plans to introduce a conversational AI assistant capable of fluently interacting in multiple Indian languages, alongside API access for broader application integration.

As the tech community watches this unfold, the significance of Krutrim’s achievements cannot be understated. Not only has it marked a significant milestone as India’s first AI unicorn, but it also underscores the country’s growing influence in the global AI arena. This development is a testament to the potential of localized AI solutions in addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within the Indian market.Krutrim’s journey from a visionary concept to a unicorn status symbolizes more than just a financial milestone; it represents the maturation of India’s tech ecosystem and its readiness to contribute significantly to the global digital economy. With Krutrim leading the way, India is poised to become a pivotal hub for AI innovation, championing solutions that resonate deeply with its diverse linguistic and cultural tapestry​​.

About the author

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Shweta Bansal

Shweta, a tech journalist from New Delhi, specializes in AI and IOT. Her insightful articles, featured in leading tech publications, blend complex tech trends with engaging narratives, emphasizing the role of women in tech.

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