India must develop own AI, says Zoho founder after US restricts access

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has called for India to prioritize the development of its own artificial intelligence technologies following reports that access to advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, has been restricted for users outside the United States. Vembu argued that this move underscores the critical role of technology in national security and economic sovereignty, suggesting that globalization's promise of open access to cutting-edge technologies is no longer reliable.

Vembu urged Indian organizations to shift their focus from foreign-provided AI models to smaller, domestically developed, and open-source alternatives, emphasizing that such a transition is achievable with effort. He highlighted the immense financial and hardware requirements, such as access to advanced GPUs, needed to train frontier AI models, noting that these resources are increasingly subject to restrictions. Vembu expressed confidence in India's ability to innovate and develop competitive technologies through sustained effort and patience, citing Zoho's own approach to R&D.

His comments received support from Swaminathan Gurumurthy, a director on the Reserve Bank of India's board, who drew parallels to the period after the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. Gurumurthy recalled that former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had then advocated for allowing sanctions to continue to foster indigenous technological capabilities. Vembu echoed this sentiment, describing Kalam as a visionary who recognized the importance of technological sovereignty decades ago.

To bolster India's innovation landscape, Vembu proposed implementing annual assessments of technological capabilities across 100 critical sectors, publishing leaderboards to encourage competition, and establishing a prestigious 'Dr Abdul Kalam Award' for engineers and scientists. These proposals aim to highlight India's technological achievements and stimulate investment in research and development.