New Delhi, May 16 -- Startups chasing profitability or aiming for a public listing appear to have gone slow on their hiring. The companies have hunkered down and tightened their belts to save money and figure out how artificial intelligence (AI) will change their work.

Some companies have also let people go or reassigned roles as they dropped new non-core businesses that simply weren't working or to improve organizational efficiency.

Big tech-enabled names such as Zomato, Cars24 and Gupshup, among others have cut jobs over the past quarter, while others such as Swiggy and Flipkart have pruned divisions and moved people to different roles. Newer startups are also being more careful about who they hire because investors want to see profit...