Sarvam Launches Indus AI Chat App
Sarvam, an Indian AI startup dedicated to developing models for local languages and users, has officially launched its Indus chat app. Available for both web and mobile users, this launch marks Sarvam's entry into a rapidly expanding market increasingly shaped by global tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.
India's Crucial Role in Generative AI Adoption
India is emerging as a critical battleground for generative AI adoption. Recent figures highlight the country's significance, with OpenAI reporting over 100 million weekly active users for ChatGPT in India. Similarly, Anthropic notes that India accounts for 5.8% of total Claude usage, positioning it as the second-largest market after the United States.
Introducing the Indus App and Sarvam 105B Model
The Indus app serves as a user-friendly interface for Sarvam's newly announced Sarvam 105B model. This large language model boasts an impressive 105 billion parameters. The app's debut follows closely on the heels of Sarvam's unveiling of its 105B and 30B models at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. At the summit, the startup also shared details on its enterprise strategies, hardware plans, and announced key partnerships. These include collaborations with HMD to integrate AI into Nokia feature phones and with Bosch for AI-enabled automotive applications.
App Features and Current Limitations
Currently in beta and accessible on iOS, Android, and the web, the Indus app allows users to interact through typed or spoken queries, receiving responses in both text and audio formats. Users can authenticate using their phone number, Google account, or Apple ID. However, the service is presently restricted to users within India.
The app is not without its current limitations. For instance, users cannot delete their chat history without also deleting their entire account. Additionally, there is no option to disable the app's reasoning feature, which, while powerful, can sometimes lead to slower response times. Sarvam has also cautioned that access may be intermittently restricted as they scale their compute capacity.
Pratyush Kumar, co-founder of Sarvam, shared on X, "We're gradually rolling out Indus on a limited compute capacity, so you may hit a waitlist at first. We will expand access over time." He emphasized that the company is actively seeking user feedback to improve the experience.
Funding and Vision
Founded in 2023, Sarvam has successfully raised $41 million from prominent investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Peak XV Partners, and Khosla Ventures. The company's core mission is to build large language models specifically tailored to the Indian context.
Domestic AI Alternatives
Sarvam represents a growing movement of Indian startups aiming to develop indigenous alternatives to established global AI platforms. This push aligns with India's broader goal of asserting greater control over its own artificial intelligence infrastructure.
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