By The Indus Zone Media Tech Desk | November 8, 2025 | Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu Says True AI Creativity Lies Beyond Its Training
Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu Shares Insightful Take on the Future of AI and Human Creativity
Zoho Corporation’s Founder and CEO, Sridhar Vembu, has once again stirred up an online debate about the true meaning of creativity in Artificial Intelligence (AI). In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Vembu stated that real creative thinking goes beyond what AI systems are trained to do.
“True creative work is ‘out of the training distribution’ work,” Vembu wrote, highlighting how even advanced AI models like Large Language Models (LLMs) still operate within the confines of their training data.
Vembu’s remark reignites the global conversation about whether AI can ever truly be creative, or if it will always remain a powerful mimic of human thought rather than a genuine innovator.
Why AI Still Struggles With True Creativity
According to Vembu, while AI systems continue to evolve through exposure to massive datasets, their creativity remains limited. He compared LLMs with chess and Go game engines, pointing out a crucial distinction.
“Chess or Go engines do come up with creative moves,” he noted. “The foundational approach they use—Monte Carlo Tree Search—is different from how LLMs work, and that may explain why LLMs don’t do too well outside their training distribution.”
Essentially, AI models excel when rules are clear and datasets are structured, but they falter when faced with open-ended, real-world problems that lack defined boundaries — a key ingredient of human creativity.
Games vs Real Life: Why AI’s ‘Training’ May Be Too Rigid
In the same post, Vembu elaborated on the limitations of training AI models using games. He explained that while games like Chess have fixed rules, defined objectives, and measurable outcomes, life operates in far more uncertain and unstructured environments.
“Games have precise rules of the game, valid vs. invalid moves, etc. The real world is much messier,” Vembu said.
He added that software development shares certain characteristics with games—structured rules and logical pathways—but even there, creativity often lies in how developers break patterns and think beyond standard logic.
Vembu suggested that some game-engine techniques might still help improve AI systems, especially in coding and simulation, but insisted that true creativity requires going “beyond the dataset.”
A Broader Conversation: AI, Ethics, and the Human Element
Sridhar Vembu’s perspective arrives at a time when the tech world is deeply divided over Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) — the idea of AI systems capable of independent, human-like reasoning. While companies worldwide are racing to develop AGI, experts warn that creativity, ethics, and intuition remain inherently human.
Vembu’s insight serves as a reminder that innovation cannot be trained—it must be imagined. AI, no matter how advanced, relies on human-curated data, and therefore, its “creative” outputs are ultimately extensions of existing information rather than acts of true originality.
Zoho’s Vision: Building Ethical, Human-Centric AI
Under Sridhar Vembu’s leadership, Zoho Corporation has consistently taken a human-first approach to technology. The company’s recent innovations, including Zoho Notebook’s AI-powered upgrades and free access for students, show its commitment to ethical AI adoption and empowering learning through technology.
While other tech giants focus on speed and scale, Zoho continues to emphasize long-term innovation rooted in human intelligence and creativity. Vembu’s philosophical approach reinforces Zoho’s belief that the best technology should enhance human thinking—not replace it.
Controversy and Conversation
Vembu’s outspoken nature often draws attention, both for his forward-thinking ideas and for some controversial opinions. Recently, he faced backlash for comments linking vaccines to autism—remarks that drew sharp criticism from health experts. However, his consistent focus on AI, education, and innovation continues to influence India’s tech discourse and inspire younger entrepreneurs.
Conclusion: Can AI Ever Be Truly Creative?
Sridhar Vembu’s latest post doesn’t just question the capabilities of AI—it challenges society to rethink how we define creativity itself. As machines learn faster and process more data than ever, true innovation still demands human curiosity, imagination, and the courage to think outside the algorithm.
