Key Takeaways
Earlier this month, executives from Alphabet Inc.’s Google DeepMind, Microsoft Corp., and Meta Platforms Inc. gathered in Bangalore alongside tech founders to witness one of India’s leading AI startups, Sarvam AI, launching a groundbreaking new product.
Sarvam AI, often referred to as India’s OpenAI, introduced software that allows businesses to interact with customers using spoken voice rather than just text.
Comment
byu/uhhhwhatok from discussion
intechnology
This technology, developed using data from 10 native Indian languages, is priced at just one rupee per minute, aiming to capture a major portion of the market.
India has been working to keep up with the global AI surge, particularly since the launch of ChatGPT. However, chatbots have faced challenges due to the lack of data on many of the country’s languages.
While residents of major cities can typically interact with chatbots in English, most of India’s population lacks the language skills to do so.
Comment
byu/uhhhwhatok from discussion
intechnology
Now, many startups are betting that voice bots, built with local language data, can reach a broader segment of India and potentially appeal to users in other countries.
This wave of innovation positions India as a proving ground for the next frontier of generative AI products, despite raising safety concerns in other markets.
By incorporating AI voice features into their products, these tech companies aim to create more dynamic, conversational services that can respond to users verbally in real time and automate various tasks.
Comment
byu/uhhhwhatok from discussion
intechnology
In India, this shift is already manifesting across various consumer and business applications. For example, Samsung-backed Gnani AI conducts millions of voice conversations daily for India’s largest banks, insurers, and car companies.
Meanwhile, CoRover AI offers voice bots in 14 Indian languages to the state-owned railway corporation and a regional police force.
Haloocom Technologies’ voice bot, capable of speaking five Indian languages, is employed to handle customer service tasks and screen job candidates.
CoRover’s Ask Disha voice bot, which went live this month for India’s train booking company IRCTC, can book train tickets and complete payments solely via voice commands.
Sabharwal notes that India requires AI agents capable of performing tasks and not just providing information.
Gnani AI has developed a bot that assists lenders in conversing with potential customers to determine their financial needs, collect personal information, and assess their loan eligibility.
Comment
byu/uhhhwhatok from discussion
intechnology
The startup also collaborates with Tata Motors Ltd., one of India’s largest carmakers, to gather feedback on new car models and sell extended warranties and accessories.
Sarvam’s voice bots stand out for their ability to handle mixed-language conversations and perform actions such as setting up appointments and facilitating payments.
The company has around 50 clients, including Sri Mandir, a devotional app with over 10 million downloads on the Android Play Store.
Comment
byu/uhhhwhatok from discussion
intechnology
Sarvam’s voice software enables the app to guide users through specific rituals at different temples and advise them on how to request various blessings.
Sarvam’s co-founder, Vivek Raghavan, confidently asserted that mainstream AI models like GPT-4 or Claude would struggle to replicate such functionality due to their limited access to spoken Indian language data, including regional accents.
Some leading AI companies in the U.S., such as OpenAI, have developed technology capable of generating convincing voices but have been cautious about releasing it widely due to potential issues.
OpenAI recently expressed concerns that users might become emotionally dependent on its voice product and noted that they have taken steps to prevent impersonation and the generation of copyrighted audio.
Comment
byu/Phazon798 from discussion
insingularity
The company has begun rolling out new voice features to a select group of users after a delay.
Despite these concerns, India’s AI startups remain optimistic about the potential of this technology.
While these startups are currently focused on the Indian market, they are also exploring international opportunities.
Gnani’s voice bots, for instance, are already operational in Silicon Valley, helping a large California-based Harley-Davidson leasing company reach Spanish-speaking customers, with further expansion plans targeting the Middle East and Japan.
Comment
byu/uhhhwhatok from discussion
intechnology
The rapid adoption of AI voice bots in India represents a major leap forward in how technology can be localized and adapted to meet the needs of diverse populations.
However, as these technologies expand both domestically and globally, ensuring data security and privacy will be critical to maintaining trust and mitigating potential risks.
For more news and insights, visit AI News on our website.
