logo
#

Latest news with #Kruti

Ola's AI venture Krutrim lays off over 100, axes Kruti's linguistics team
Ola's AI venture Krutrim lays off over 100, axes Kruti's linguistics team

Business Standard

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • Business Standard

Ola's AI venture Krutrim lays off over 100, axes Kruti's linguistics team

Bhavish Aggarwal's artificial intelligence (AI) startup Krutrim has initiated a second wave of layoffs, just weeks after launching its flagship assistant Kruti. According to a report by The Economic Times, more than 100 employees, primarily from the linguistics division, were let go last week, following a smaller round of job cuts in June. The downsizing comes even as Krutrim positions Kruti as India's answer to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, with ambitions rooted in localisation, multilingual capabilities, and voice-first interactivity tailored to the Indian market. Kruti's language training nears completion In a statement, Krutrim said the layoffs are part of a 'strategic realignment' to build 'leaner, more agile teams", aligning with evolving business priorities. The company declined to confirm exact figures but cautioned against 'publishing unverified reports.' Citing multiple sources, The Economic Times reported that the cuts heavily impacted linguists hired for full-time roles across 10 Indian languages, including Tamil, Odia, Telugu, and Marathi. Many employees had relocated to Bengaluru just months ago. The linguistics team had reportedly grown to around 600 people before the reductions. The linguistic hires were deemed unnecessary as the AI assistant's training is almost complete. The report also cited delayed fundraising and lack of product traction as key reasons behind the restructuring. Krutrim had become a unicorn in 2024 after raising $50 million from Z47 Partners. Around the same time, it launched Krutrim AI Labs and announced a ₹2,000 crore investment into AI development, with founder Bhavish Aggarwal pledging to scale this up to ₹10,000 crore by next year. While Krutrim had initially aimed to raise $500 million, the target was reduced to $300 million due to tepid investor interest. The company's large language model and cloud services, launched in 2024, have reportedly struggled to gain momentum, with several startups opting instead for more mature platforms offered by global hyperscalers. Leadership changes have also added to challenges as nearly a dozen senior executives exited the company in 2024, with further departures taking place in early 2025. Kruti: India's first agentic AI assistant Despite the operational shakeup, Krutrim continues to claim Kruti as India's first agentic AI assistant —designed not just to respond to prompts, but to perform tasks such as booking cabs, paying bills, or ordering food. It currently supports 13 Indian languages. 'Our key differentiator will come with integrating local services,' said Sunit Singh, Senior Vice-President for Product at Krutrim, as earlier reported by Business Standard. 'That's not something that will be very easy for global players to do.' Krutrim aims to embed Kruti into everyday Indian digital life by offering voice-driven services that cater to regional and non-English-speaking populations. While Kruti is powered by Krutrim's proprietary Krutrim V2 model, the company employs a hybrid architecture that includes open-source systems and external models. Krutrim competes with global players like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, as well as Indian startups such as Sarvam AI and

Bhavish Aggarwal's Krutrim lays off over 100 employees in fresh job cuts: Report
Bhavish Aggarwal's Krutrim lays off over 100 employees in fresh job cuts: Report

India Today

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • India Today

Bhavish Aggarwal's Krutrim lays off over 100 employees in fresh job cuts: Report

Krutrim, the artificial intelligence company founded by Ola's Bhavish Aggarwal, has reportedly laid off more than 100 employees in a second round of job cuts, reported The Economic layoffs affected a large part of the firm's linguistics team, which had only recently joined the decision comes just weeks after Krutrim's first round of layoffs in June, when over a dozen roles were cut. People familiar with the matter told The Economic Times that the latest layoffs were part of a 'strategic realignment' and an attempt to build leaner teams to manage resources recent round of layoffs began shortly after the launch of the company's AI assistant, Kruti, in of the people cited in the report said, 'Almost 80% of the training has been done for the AI assistant Kruti and they don't need as many people as they did before.' This suggests that the company's need for linguistics staff has reduced as the product nears completion in its early had previously announced large investments in building its AI capabilities. Earlier this year, Bhavish Aggarwal launched Krutrim AI Labs, committing Rs 2,000 crore to AI development with plans to increase this figure to Rs 10,000 crore next company also raised $50 million from venture capital firm Z47 Partners, achieving unicorn status in layoffs are being seen as a shift in focus from team expansion to efficient deployment of capital, especially at a time when many tech firms across the world are tightening budgets and resizing the AI sector remains one of the most talked-about areas of growth, several startups and large companies alike are facing the challenge of managing costs while trying to scale quickly.- Ends advertisement

Ola's AI venture Krutrim lays off over 100, axes Kruri's linguistics team
Ola's AI venture Krutrim lays off over 100, axes Kruri's linguistics team

Business Standard

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • Business Standard

Ola's AI venture Krutrim lays off over 100, axes Kruri's linguistics team

Bhavish Aggarwal's artificial intelligence (AI) startup Krutrim has initiated a second wave of layoffs, just weeks after launching its flagship assistant Kruti. According to a report by The Economic Times, more than 100 employees, primarily from the linguistics division, were let go last week, following a smaller round of job cuts in June. The downsizing comes even as Krutrim positions Kruti as India's answer to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, with ambitions rooted in localisation, multilingual capabilities, and voice-first interactivity tailored to the Indian market. Kruti's language training nears completion In a statement, Krutrim said the layoffs are part of a 'strategic realignment' to build 'leaner, more agile teams", aligning with evolving business priorities. The company declined to confirm exact figures but cautioned against 'publishing unverified reports.' Citing multiple sources, The Economic Times reported that the cuts heavily impacted linguists hired for full-time roles across 10 Indian languages, including Tamil, Odia, Telugu, and Marathi. Many employees had relocated to Bengaluru just months ago. The linguistics team had reportedly grown to around 600 people before the reductions. Krutrim cuts funding target amid tepid investor interest Krutrim had become a unicorn in 2024 after raising $50 million from Z47 Partners. Around the same time, it launched Krutrim AI Labs and announced a ₹2,000 crore investment into AI development, with founder Bhavish Aggarwal pledging to scale this up to ₹10,000 crore by next year. While Krutrim had initially aimed to raise $500 million, the target was reduced to $300 million due to tepid investor interest. The company's large language model and cloud services, launched in 2024, have reportedly struggled to gain momentum, with several startups opting instead for more mature platforms offered by global hyperscalers. Leadership changes have also added to challenges as nearly a dozen senior executives exited the company in 2024, with further departures taking place in early 2025. Kruti: India's first agentic AI assistant Despite the operational shakeup, Krutrim continues to claim Kruti as India's first agentic AI assistant —designed not just to respond to prompts, but to perform tasks such as booking cabs, paying bills, or ordering food. It currently supports 13 Indian languages. 'Our key differentiator will come with integrating local services,' said Sunit Singh, Senior Vice-President for Product at Krutrim, as earlier reported by Business Standard. 'That's not something that will be very easy for global players to do.' Krutrim aims to embed Kruti into everyday Indian digital life by offering voice-driven services that cater to regional and non-English-speaking populations. While Kruti is powered by Krutrim's proprietary Krutrim V2 model, the company employs a hybrid architecture that includes open-source systems and external models. Krutrim competes with global players like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, as well as Indian startups such as Sarvam AI and

From Milongo to mainstream, Kruti Gandhi Sarda's Tango story
From Milongo to mainstream, Kruti Gandhi Sarda's Tango story

The Hindu

time04-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Hindu

From Milongo to mainstream, Kruti Gandhi Sarda's Tango story

With her signature blend of musicality, connection and cultural depth, Kruti Gandhi Sarda is leading a new wave of Indian talent on to the global Tango stage. A prominent figure in India's Tango community, Kruti's success stands as an inspiration for dancers across the country and reaffirms India's place in the evolving narrative of western dance. She recently made history by becoming the first Indian to win an award at the Indonesia Tango Championship Preliminaries 2025 — an official qualifier for the World Tango Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Kruti secured third place in the Social Tango category, a uniquely challenging division where partners are switched after each song and all performances are completely improvised. Her achievement marks a significant breakthrough for India on the international Tango stage. Kruti's journey with Tango started in 2015, during a two-month trip to Europe where she learnt it. Once she returned to Mumbai, a city where Tango was almost non-existent back then, she started teaching what she had learnt. That is the genesis of Abrazo Tango, a Tango school founded by her. 'It has been an incredible journey of exploration and growth,' says Kruti, who started with just six students, both of whom went on to compete at the Indonesia Tango Championship in Bali. Kruti teaches and performs within the country and overseas, with students ranging from amateurs to Bollywood actors. 'While previously, Kruti conducted regular Tango classes at IIT Mumbai, she now takes classes with Ajinkya Deshpande on Saturdays. They also organise milongas (Tango socials) and practice sessions to build and support the local Tango community. In March this year, she taught at Tango Amistoso, one of London's leading Tango schools. In the past, she performed at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), IIT Bombay's Mood Indigo, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival and Soho House Mumbai. ⁠In July, Abrazo Tango will host its annual Tango Dance Marathon in Mumbai — a weekend-long immersive celebration of social Tango, bringing together hundreds of dancers from across India. 'It will be three-days of non-stop dancing, inspiring performances and a strong sense of community. Attendees can expect high-energy milongas, workshops and a Tango flea market that celebrate the spirit of the dance. It is a welcoming space for dancers of all levels,' elaborates Kruti. Tango, in India, is niche and Kruti had her own share of upheavals. For this reason, she is actively working to expand the Tango community in India — a challenging journey that demands continuous learning, creativity and adaptability. She believes India has potential for a vibrant and expansive Tango scene. Her goal is to share the magic of Tango with as many people as possible and build a strong, supportive dance culture. 'Every new dancer, who falls in love with Tango, brings us one step closer. It is not just about the dance, but about connection, expression and creating something meaningful together.'

Bengaluru: Daughter of murdered top cop Om Prakash vandalises milk booth, case filed
Bengaluru: Daughter of murdered top cop Om Prakash vandalises milk booth, case filed

Hindustan Times

time03-07-2025

  • Hindustan Times

Bengaluru: Daughter of murdered top cop Om Prakash vandalises milk booth, case filed

The daughter of former Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Om Prakash, who was found murdered in April this year, allegedly created a public disturbance near her residence in Bengaluru by vandalising a Nandini milk booth and assaulting the shop owner, India Today reported. Kruti was reportedly in an agitated state when she entered the booth. According to the report, Kruti was reportedly in an agitated state when she entered the booth located next to her home and began smashing glass bottles and damaging property. When the shop owner attempted to stop her, she allegedly assaulted him. Witnesses say she left the scene calmly after the incident and walked back to her house, the report further added. (Also Read: 'We should not show off': What Nikhil Kamath told his mom after her Mercedes photo went viral) The booth owner immediately alerted the police, and Hoysala personnel arrived at the location to assess the situation. Kruti was subsequently detained by police. A Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) was filed against her, which is typically registered for minor offences where police cannot proceed with arrest or investigation without a magistrate's approval. Kruti currently resides alone in the same house where her father was killed. Her mother, Pallavi, is in judicial custody, having been arrested for the murder of the retired senior officer. Her brother, Karthikesh, no longer lives in the house. In the immediate aftermath of Om Prakash's death, police had to break open Kruti's room to take her into custody for questioning. While initial suspicions during the investigation included the possibility of Kruti's involvement, it was her mother who was ultimately named the prime accused. The retired officer was reportedly in the middle of a meal when he was fatally attacked, a detail that emerged during the course of the police investigation. (Also Read: 'Bisbilla Bath' to 'Bissi Belle': Bisi Bele Bath gets an Hyderabadi makeover, Bengaluru netizens fume)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store