Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal has officially unveiled the public testing phase of Krutrim, India’s homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) system. Positioned as a pioneering first-generation product, Krutrim is set to undergo continuous refinement as its development progresses. In addition to this, a more sophisticated iteration, Krutrim Pro, is scheduled for launch later this year. Boasting the ability to comprehend 20 Indian languages and trained on an extensive dataset consisting of two trillion tokens, Krutrim represents a substantial leap forward in AI technology tailored for the Indian context.
The brainchild of Bhavish Aggarwal, the visionary behind Ola Cabs and Ola Electric, Krutrim Si Designs, the venture responsible for Krutrim, has introduced its debut product, the Krutrim Assistant, in beta mode. Accessible at chat.olakrutrim.com, this chatbot assistant serves as a personalized generative AI assistant proficient in understanding 20 Indian languages and generating text in 10 Indian languages. Despite acknowledging minor hallucination issues inherent in AI models, especially in the Indian context, as highlighted by Aggarwal, Krutrim Assistant aims to exhibit a lower frequency of such occurrences compared to global platforms.
Recent developments underscore the emergence of Indian companies focusing on large language models tailored for vernacular use. In December, Sarvam AI introduced its Hindi language model, OpenHathi, while Corover AI, a conversational AI platform, unveiled BharatGPT in January. The latter integrates voice and text modalities in numerous Indian languages in collaboration with the National Hub of Language Technology.
As of now, Krutrim is exclusively accessible through its official website, and no official Android or iOS app has been released. Furthermore, the service is currently offered free of charge, without a subscription model in place. Initially confined to a select group of users, Krutrim has now transitioned into open beta, exclusively catering to Indian users. The company has not disclosed specifics regarding a stable or global release at this juncture.
Positioning itself as a player to watch in the AI landscape, Krutrim Si Designs boasts a workforce of 150 employees, primarily comprising experienced hires with extensive backgrounds in building scalable systems and foundational models. This strategic composition positions the company for further advancements, solidifying India’s standing as a hub for technological innovation.
In the ever-evolving landscape of AI, the introduction of Krutrim marks a significant milestone for India, showcasing the country’s capacity to develop and deploy cutting-edge technology tailored to its diverse linguistic landscape. With the promise of continual improvement and the impending launch of Krutrim Pro, the Indian AI ecosystem is on the brink of experiencing a transformative leap, driven by homegrown innovations.
As more Indian companies join the fray with language models designed for vernacular use, the synergy between technological advancements and linguistic diversity is becoming increasingly evident. The endeavors of Krutrim Si Designs, Sarvam AI, and Corover AI exemplify a collective commitment to harnessing AI capabilities to cater to the linguistic richness of India, contributing to the country’s global reputation as a frontrunner in technological innovation.
In conclusion, the public testing availability of Krutrim signifies a significant step forward in the realm of indigenous AI development in India. With a focus on language diversity and a commitment to addressing inherent challenges, Krutrim Si Designs, under the leadership of Bhavish Aggarwal, is poised to carve a distinct niche in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, reaffirming India’s role as a trailblazer in technological innovation.
