Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal recently sparked a conversation about gender pronouns and artificial intelligence. He argued that LinkedIn’s AI was imposing a “political ideology” on Indian users after one of his posts was removed for violating community guidelines. Aggarwal’s initial post, shared on X (formerly Twitter), criticized the use of gender pronouns, referring to it as a “pronoun illness.” He expressed concerns that adopting such practices might conflict with traditional Indian values, which he claims already respect everyone regardless of gender.
LinkedIn removed Aggarwal’s comments, citing a breach of its professional community policies. In response, Aggarwal posted a screenshot of the warning he received and criticized the platform, saying, “Dear @LinkedIn this post of mine was about YOUR AI imposing a political ideology on Indian users that’s unsafe, sinister. Rich of you to call my post unsafe! This is exactly why we need to build our own tech and AI in India. Else we’ll just be pawns in others’ political objectives.” He emphasized the importance of developing homegrown technologies to prevent reliance on external platforms with different cultural standards.
The incident has sparked diverse reactions on social media. Some users supported Aggarwal’s stance, opposing what they perceive as the influence of Western ideals on Indian society. They agreed with Aggarwal, arguing that the imposition of specific social norms is unnecessary and potentially harmful. Others criticized his viewpoint, underscoring the importance of respecting individual identity and the evolving nature of social norms. They pointed out that acknowledging preferred pronouns is an inclusive practice, enhancing respect and understanding in society.
Aggarwal’s focus on building Indian AI aligns with Ola’s Krutrim AI project, an initiative designed to cater to India’s linguistic diversity. Developed by Krutrim Si Design, the AI aims to accommodate various languages by offering support in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Bengali, Gujarati, and Hinglish. This project, an embodiment of Aggarwal’s vision, seeks to bridge the gap between conventional AI models and India’s unique linguistic needs. By prioritizing local language support, Krutrim AI aims to provide a more tailored experience and reduce dependence on global platforms.
