New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- Zoho Corporation co-founder Sridhar Vembu has announced that the company will not offer salary increments to employees this year, citing rising costs and the growing expenses associated with artificial intelligence (AI). His decision has received flak on social media, with users questioning his appeal to Indians working in the US to return home and contribute to the country's technology sector.

In a post on X, Vembu attributed the decision to "global geopolitical tensions" and the rapid "advancement of AI". He apologised to employees for being unable to offer annual pay hikes and said the company would make every effort to avoid large-scale layoffs.

"The business outlook for software is uncertain, and AI has raised...