Riyaz Khan
At a seventh-grade speech class, while his classmates spoke about their favorite sports teams and movies, Cyril Gorlla chose a different path—explaining Google’s developer conference and the operating system architecture of Android smartphones.
Today, at 23, Cyril Gorlla is the co-founder and CEO of CTGT, a startup focused on eliminating AI hallucinations—incorrect or misleading AI-generated results. His work, alongside co-founder and CTO Trevor Tuttle, has attracted high-profile partnerships, including businessman Mark Cuban and Zapier co-founder Mike Knoop.
“I was doing undergrad and grad programs at UC San Diego,” Gorlla said in a recent interview from his San Francisco office. “I finished my undergrad but dropped out this April to pursue the company.”
Early Years and Passion for Computing
Born in India, Gorlla moved to Newhall, California, with his family at the age of two. His mother, Suhasini Gorlla, recalled how he showed an early inclination toward technology—taking apart and reassembling computers.
At just 11, he assisted his mother with her college assignments at College of the Canyons. “I actually did that class with her,” he recalled. “I aced it. That was when I truly fell in love with computing and coding.”
After graduating from Santa Clarita Christian School, he pursued computer science at UCSD, drawn by its cutting-edge AI research. There, he was awarded the Endowed Chairs Fellowship and studied under deep-learning pioneer Mikhail Belkin. His academic journey led him to deliver talks at major industry conferences and even discuss responsible AI with former U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
A Pivotal Decision
During his first year of graduate school, while presenting at the International Conference on Learning Representations, Gorlla faced a defining moment. His research revealed AI models producing inaccurate information, prompting him to act.
“I didn’t want my research to just sit in a conference, seen by a few hundred people. I wanted it to impact the industry,” he said. That realization led him to leave academia and establish CTGT—a name derived from his and his partner’s initials.
Addressing AI’s ‘Black Box’ Problem
Now based in San Francisco, CTGT has partnered with nine enterprises and is making strides in AI safety. The startup’s technology, Gorlla claimed, reduces hallucinations by 85% and makes machine learning nearly 10 times more efficient, with applications in critical sectors like healthcare and finance.
“This is almost like a Manhattan Project moment,” he said. “AI is advancing rapidly, and it’s crucial to ensure it evolves responsibly.”
He described the AI “black box” dilemma—where inputs generate outputs without transparency. “You ask ChatGPT for a recipe, and it might tell you to mix bread and glue,” he quipped. While harmless in that context, he warned of greater risks.
“Imagine AI making credit decisions and wrongly denying a home loan. Worse, it could influence immigration or defense policies. Technology progress is inevitable, but we must ensure it moves in the right direction.”
A Proud Legacy
His mother recalled how, at just eight years old, Gorlla showed resilience and empathy when she faced major health challenges. “He would sit by my hospital bed doing his homework,” she wrote.
Now, as he spearheads AI innovation, Gorlla remains committed to making a difference.
“The real power of computing,” he said, “is the ability to build something that impacts people worldwide—regardless of one’s circumstances.”
His journey—from a curious child experimenting with computers to a tech entrepreneur tackling AI’s biggest challenge—underscores the transformative potential of passion and perseverance.
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