India is entering a decisive phase in artificial intelligence, and Sarvam AI wants to ensure the country builds the core technology itself rather than relying on global platforms. Speaking at the NDTV Ind.AI Summit, Pratyush Kumar, CEO and Co-Founder of Sarvam AI, said generative AI models are rapidly becoming foundational infrastructure.
“We are in a new world of software. You are always going to be hitting these large language models in anything that you do,” he said, adding that these models will underpin productivity, entertainment and everyday digital experiences.
Unlike traditional software stacks, Kumar emphasized Sarvam's focus on building models from scratch in India. “If large language model generative AI is such an important technology, India should be building it,” he said, pointing to the need for “homegrown sovereign ability” in AI development.
Smart Glasses Aim to Take AI Beyond the Desk
Sarvam also showcased AI-powered smart glasses and a companion smart ring, designed, manufactured and integrated entirely in India. “India does not work on a desk. India works also on the move,” Kumar said, underscoring the need to bring AI to workers in real-world environments rather than confining it to desktops and smartphones.
The devices allow users to interact with AI through voice prompts triggered via the ring. Kumar illustrated the potential with a field sales use case: “Imagine a sales guy walking around doing KYC… he just clicks this ring and asks a question about an insurance policy and gets an answer.”
The applications extend far beyond enterprise productivity. Kumar pointed to India's upcoming census exercise, calling it “the biggest effort that one can have,” and said wearable AI could help workers manage digital workflows seamlessly. He also highlighted use cases across healthcare, education and accessibility.
“Our models today are very accurate in reading anything that is out there in any Indian language and explaining it back in the language that you want,” he said, noting that the technology could help visually impaired users interpret their surroundings or translate unfamiliar scripts in real time.
Building AI for India's Scale and Diversity
Sarvam's broader mission is rooted in accessibility — reflected in its name, derived from Sanskrit. “We named the company Sarvam because we genuinely believe that this technology must reach everyone,” Kumar said.
He added that AI improves rapidly once deployed widely. “Value loops of AI compound very fast… in AI it's happening in a matter of months,” Kumar said, stressing that real-world feedback accelerates model performance and usefulness.
India's diversity, he argued, makes it the ultimate proving ground. Its linguistic complexity, scale and economic diversity present unique technical challenges — but also an opportunity to build systems that can work anywhere.
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