According to Vembu, India has the momentum in AI adoption. “Today AI can write code really well,” he said, noting that this could significantly enhance productivity across industries.
The Zoho co‑founder's response was prompted by a professor from the London School of Economics who argued for cautious, conviction‑based decision‑making especially at workplaces affected by AI.
Sridhar Vembu said Zoho itself is actively exploring smaller models and alternative AI approaches that are less capital- and energy-intensive.
According to Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu, accepting the possibility of failure is not pessimism but a strategic discipline. The remarks come amid sharp volatility in global and Indian IT stocks following the launch of new AI tools by US startup Anthropic.
Zoho enters the ERP market to take on SAP and Oracle, launching India-first software as Sridhar Vembu bets on affordability, rural tech hubs and long-term R&D.
In this conversation, Zoho founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu explains why the company is expanding its operations in Kumbakonam and how rural India fits into Zoho’s long-term technology strategy. He details plans to grow the local workforce from 250 to 2,000 employees and describes the hub-and-spoke model that connects R&D with regional development. The interview also covers Zoho’s entry into the ERP market, a space dominated by global players like SAP and Oracle, and why the company believes an India-first, AI-native ERP can compete globally. Vembu shares his views on the AI investment bubble, foundational models versus applied AI, SaaS consolidation, and why patient, long-term R&D matters. From small-town expansion to global technology ambitions, this conversation highlights how Zoho is building products and talent outside traditional tech hubs.
The Uttar Pradesh move is expected to follow Zoho’s hub-and-spoke model, similar to its centres in smaller towns such as Tenkasi and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.
Vembu says his goal is to contribute towards making India a technologically strong and self-reliant nation, which is as critical to the country’s prosperity and long-term civilisational revival
Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu’s assessment drew sharp disagreement from several users, who questioned the basis of his claim and cited indicators such as tourism trends and passport strength to counter his argument.
Highlighting how comments from leaders can have a negative impact towards women's health and empowerment, Namita Thapar said, 'What’s wrong with our leaders? What numbers are we discussing? 70-hour work weeks? Marry in your twenties?'
Vembu reacts to drop in active users, says 'initial buzz rarely equals long term success'
Arattai has also seen a sharp decline in its App Store rankings, slipping from the top position in mid-October to 123rd place in the apps leaderboard on November 4, Moneycontrol observed.
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu’s comments come amid heightened global market volatility and renewed concerns about economic stability as investors seek safe-haven assets such as gold.
Vembu also cited countries like Japan, Korea, and China as examples where national pride and self-reliance have powered rapid development.
Amid scrutiny over government adoption of Zoho Mail, the company’s founder has said that it was selected by National Informatics Centre (NIC) after extensive vetting, while MeitY has maintained it does not favour any single firm for tender.
On the role of AI in programming, Vembu said he is a fan of AI-based coding and uses it extensively, but emphasized that it augments rather than replaces skilled programmers.
He drew parallels with the U.S., where AI investment has soared into the trillions of dollars but raised concerns about rising electricity costs and limited productivity gains.
The Zoho founder has also been engaging more with the company’s rural teams, visiting several rural centers and spending time with young engineers.
Calling for balanced trade, Vembu said India must avoid both large deficits and surpluses and focus on technological self-reliance to restore equilibrium.
Vembu urged the government to make it mandatory for companies developing technology or AI models in India to register the resulting IP locally or license it to the parent entity abroad.
In this detailed and candid conversation, Zoho’s Chief Scientist and founder Sridhar Vembu opens up about the growing Swadeshi movement in India-a push for self-reliance in technology and trade amidst a global landscape where tech is increasingly weaponised
In this insightful conversation with Sridhar Vembu, Chief Scientist at Zoho, we dive deep into how his role has evolved and what it means for the future of Indian technology. From his push for the Swadeshi (self-reliance) movement to the challenges of building Arattai as a homegrown messaging platform, Sridhar shares candid thoughts on innovation, privacy, and India’s place in the global tech ecosystem.
Vembu also stressed that Zoho does not rely on hyperscalers like AWS, Azure, or GCP for hosting its services.
The app has climbed to the top of Apple's App Store and is on track to break into the top 100 on Google Play, after previously ranking outside the top 500
Ashwini Vaishnaw used Zoho Show instead of Microsoft PowerPoint for official presentation