Krutrim, the AI startup founded by Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal, has taken a significant step by deploying DeepSeek’s advanced AI models on its domestic cloud infrastructure. The move is designed to bolster data privacy and cut costs in training AI models—critical factors in making India a competitive force in artificial intelligence.
Announcing the development on X (formerly Twitter), Aggarwal wrote, “India can’t be left behind in AI. @Krutrim has accelerated efforts to develop world class AI. As first step, our cloud now has DeepSeek models live, hosted on Indian servers. Pricing lowest in the world https://bit.ly/4hxS7wM.”
He also hinted at major announcements scheduled for February 4, when Krutrim will disclose details about its AI lab, state-of-the-art (SOTA) models, and open-source research.
Krutrim’s move aligns with a broader industry trend. On January 30, Microsoft and Amazon’s cloud units announced that they, too, would be hosting DeepSeek’s models. Google Cloud has also made them available through its Vertex AI Platform.
Aggarwal’s ambitions for Krutrim go far beyond cloud deployment. Since its inception, the company has faced scrutiny, particularly for inaccurate responses from its AI models. However, Aggarwal remains focused on expanding Krutrim’s capabilities, with plans to develop AI chips, AI-driven maps, and large language models (LLMs). He intends to fund these high-capital projects through his family office, a move that underscores his commitment to long-term AI innovation.
Krutrim, which became India’s first AI unicorn in January 2024 with a $1 billion valuation after raising $50 million, may also evolve into a larger AI ecosystem with multiple offshoots or subsidiaries. The coming weeks will likely reveal how Aggarwal’s vision for India’s AI future takes shape.