IIT Madras Launches Centre of AI Research to Democratise AI with CPU-Efficient Technology
The initiative aims to bridge India’s AI divide by developing advanced models that run efficiently on CPUs and edge devices
IIT Madras, in collaboration with IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation and California-based Ziroh Labs, has recently announced the launch of the Centre of AI Research (CoAIR).
The initiative aims to bridge India’s AI divide by developing advanced models that run efficiently on CPUs and edge devices—eliminating the need for costly GPUs and enabling broader access to AI in underserved regions.
Unveiled at an IIT Madras event, Ziroh Labs introduced Kompact AI, a lightweight AI platform capable of training and serving foundational models on standard CPUs.
With support for 17 models—including DeepSeek, Qwen, and Llama—Kompact AI is optimised for performance and accuracy in offline, low-connectivity environments.
Key Features of Kompact AI:
● Kompact AI enables AI model development and deployment on CPUs, removing the need for costly GPUs and reducing the infrastructure burden.
● Ziroh Labs has optimized AI models, including DeepSeek, Qwen, and Llama, for efficient execution on CPUs, delivering superior performance at lower costs.
● Kompact AI operates without constant internet connectivity, making it ideal for deployment in remote areas with limited or no access to reliable internet.
IITM Pravartak’s Madhusudhanan Baskaran emphasised that CPU-based AI allows scalable deployment without heavy infrastructure investments.
“This effort by Ziroh Labs and IITM Pravartak is a nature-inspired one wherein they provide a platform that uses customized and trained domain-specific models to provide accurate inferences on affordable conventional compute machines. This effort is certainly a major step in arresting the possible AI divide between one who can afford the modern hyper scalar systems and one who cannot," Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said.
With support from tech luminaries and industry leaders such as Whitfield Diffie, Scott McNealy, and HCLTech, CoAIR will now focus on real-world applications in agriculture, education, and rural healthcare.
Kompact AI’s affordability, adaptability, and multi-language support mark a new era of sustainable, accessible AI innovation from India to the world.
