Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has sparked a new conversation on the future of technology by advocating for a more sustainable and energy-efficient approach to artificial intelligence. Speaking on the heels of impressive breakthroughs by Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam AI, Vembu noted that the era of “brute-force” computing—relying on massive, energy-hungry data centers—must give way to smarter, leaner architectures. He pointed to Sarvam AI’s ability to outperform global giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini with a significantly smaller compute footprint as evidence that “world-class AI” can be achieved without environmental devastation. Vembu expressed a growing conviction that software code generation, in particular, is an area ripe for these high-efficiency techniques, suggesting that developers should focus on refining algorithms rather than simply throwing more power at the problem.
This shift in philosophy comes as the global tech industry faces increasing scrutiny over its carbon footprint and the astronomical costs of training large language models. Vembu warned that the current trajectory of AI development is fundamentally unsustainable, stating that the planet simply cannot afford the rising energy demands of today’s dominant AI models. By championing “affordable and sustainable” alternatives, the Zoho chief is calling for a democratization of AI that allows smaller players to compete through innovation rather than capital. As Zoho continues to integrate AI across its business suite, Vembu’s focus on “Earth-friendly” code generation signals a strategic pivot toward local, efficient, and responsible technology that balances peak performance with a commitment to environmental stewardship.