Ola’s Krutrim Accelerates AI Development with Strategic Investments and Innovations
Introduction
Ola’s artificial intelligence arm, Krutrim, is poised to enhance its infrastructure to support growing AI services. Aiming for fast and cost-effective solutions, the company’s senior vice-president and head of business, A. Navendu, outlined current challenges and future plans.
Funding and Current Challenges
Recent Investment
Krutrim recently raised $50 million in 2024, but has faced challenges attracting users to its AI products. Reports indicate that inadequate documentation and technical readiness have hindered adoption among developers and startup founders.
Infrastructure Limitation
Navendu emphasized that one of India’s significant challenges in AI development is the insufficient infrastructure for training large models. Currently, only 10,000 GPUs are available, while many others under the IndiaAI Mission remain undelivered.
Global Benchmarking
He compared this to notable global AI players, such as Grok, which trains on 100,000 GPUs, and OpenAI, which utilizes 200,000 every quarter. "Indian companies need some slack," Navendu noted, highlighting the disparity in resources.
Significant Investments
Upcoming Expansion Plans
Earlier this year, Krutrim announced plans to invest ₹2,000 crore in Krutrim AI labs as part of a larger ₹10,000 crore investment slated for completion by next year. This strategic investment aims to bolster the company’s capabilities.
Data Challenges in AI Development
The Data Deficiency
Another critical challenge is the lack of Indic language data. Chandra Khatri, head of AI at Krutrim, pointed out that only 1% of web data is available in Indian languages, despite this demographic accounting for 20% of the global population.
The Need for Data Collection
“To effectively build for India, we must scrape, digitize, and collect relevant data,” Khatri explained. This data deficiency poses hurdles for the development of AI applications tailored for Indian users.
Technical Innovations and Future Plans
Multibillion Parameter Model Development
Krutrim is currently working on a multibillion-parameter model. To meet its computational needs, the company plans to utilize both its own GPUs and those from IndiaAI, and is also considering building its own data centers. Details regarding this initiative are yet to be disclosed.
Introducing Kruti: An AI Assistant
At the recent launch of its autonomous AI assistant Kruti, Navendu discussed how the innovation is designed to interact within Ola’s ecosystem. The app currently offers four primary services: cab booking, food delivery, bill payment, and image generation, with intentions for further expansion.
Broader Service Integration
Ongoing Partnerships
Krutrim is in discussions with various service providers across sectors such as healthcare and shopping. Sunit S, head of product design, confirmed that the company is pursuing collaborations with ONDC to facilitate additional services, including metro ticketing and recharge options.
Conclusion
Krutrim is on a pathway to not only bridge the technology gap in India but also tailor AI solutions to fit local needs. With significant investments, a robust strategy for data collection, and innovative product offerings, Krutrim is set to transform the AI landscape in India.
Questions & Answers
1. What is the main goal of Krutrim?
Krutrim aims to enhance its infrastructure for AI services, making them fast and cost-effective as it scales.
2. How much investment has Krutrim raised recently?
Krutrim raised $50 million in 2024.
3. What is a significant challenge Krutrim faces regarding infrastructure?
A significant challenge is the limited number of available GPUs, with only 10,000 GPUs accessible for training large models.
4. How does India’s GPU availability compare to that of global AI companies?
For instance, Grok trains on 100,000 GPUs, while OpenAI uses 200,000 GPUs per quarter, showcasing a resource disparity.
5. What services does the Kruti AI assistant currently provide?
Kruti currently offers cab booking, food delivery, bill payment, and image generation services.
