Krutrim Faces Leadership Departures Amidst AI Advancements
Key Executives Depart as Company Focuses on AI Innovation
Three senior executives at Krutrim, spearheading the engineering and product execution in artificial intelligence (AI), have departed from the company. This transition comes at a time when Ola’s AI division accelerates development on AI semiconductors, Krutrim Model 3, and data centers. Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that John Williamson, senior director; Dinesh Mittal, engineering head; and Sharath Adavanne, director of applied AI, have left Krutrim in the past couple of months.
Workforce Changes in Linguistics Teams
In a related development, Krutrim has also let go of over a dozen staff members from its linguistics teams across various languages. A spokesperson indicated that these employees were brought on board for a specific project that has since concluded. Currently, nearly 600 individuals are employed in Krutrim’s linguistics team, which focuses on AI model evaluation, linguistic data curation, and prompting, as per company job descriptions.
High Departures at Leadership Levels
ET previously reported that over 20 executives in leadership roles have left Krutrim over the past year. This pattern raises concerns, especially following the alleged suicide of an employee attributed to claims of a toxic work culture within the company.
Company’s Response to Staffing Changes
In a statement addressing these shifts, a Krutrim spokesperson emphasized that the company’s talent pool remains world-class and that workforce transitions align with industry standards and practices. The spokesperson reassured stakeholders that crucial projects like Krutrim Model 3, data centers, and advanced AI chips, Bodhi 1 and 2, are progressing as planned.
Future Prospects for Krutrim
Navendu, Krutrim’s head of business, shared insights on the company’s ambitions to develop a multibillion-parameter AI model. He stated that this new model is expected to offer more extensive use cases compared to Krutrim 2, which features 12 billion parameters.
Partnerships and Product Development
In further developments, Krutrim is reportedly in discussions with global manufacturers concerning its Bodhi chips, which are currently undergoing testing. Recently, the company launched its consumer AI agent platform, “Kruti.” This innovative platform is designed to handle tasks such as booking cabs, delivering food, and paying bills, all within Ola’s ecosystem.
Plans for Expansion in Various Sectors
Krutrim is actively exploring partnerships with several services in the healthcare and shopping sectors. Sunit S, the SVP of design, highlighted ongoing negotiations with ONDC for additional services, including metro tickets and recharges.
Conclusion
As Krutrim navigates through leadership changes and workforce adjustments, its focus remains firmly on advancing AI technologies. The ongoing projects and product launches indicate the company’s commitment to innovation despite the challenges it faces.
Questions and Answers
1. Who are the executives that recently left Krutrim?
John Williamson, Dinesh Mittal, and Sharath Adavanne.
2. What prompted the layoffs in the linguistics teams?
The layoffs occurred after the completion of a specific project for which the employees were hired.
3. How many employees are currently in Krutrim’s linguistics team?
Approximately 600 employees are involved in the linguistics team.
4. What assurance did Krutrim provide regarding its ongoing projects?
Krutrim stated that their projects, including Krutrim Model 3 and advancements in AI chips, are on track and aligned with the company’s business roadmap.
5. What new platform did Krutrim recently launch?
Krutrim launched a consumer AI agent platform called "Kruti," designed to facilitate tasks like booking cabs and paying bills.
