Earlier this month, in the bustling tech hub of Bangalore, executives from global tech giants like Google DeepMind, Microsoft Corp., and Meta Platforms Inc. joined forces with Indian entrepreneurs to witness a significant milestone in the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. Sarvam AI, often dubbed India’s OpenAI, introduced a groundbreaking product that promises to redefine how the world’s most populous country interacts with technology: AI software that can converse with users in their native languages using spoken voice, rather than just text.
This new development marks a pivotal moment in India’s AI journey, reflecting a broader shift towards voice-driven technology that is set to impact millions of lives. As AI becomes increasingly central to how people interact with digital services, voice technology, in particular, is emerging as the most intuitive and accessible way to bridge the gap between technology and the masses, especially in a country as linguistically diverse as India.
India’s Unique Challenge: The Language Barrier in AI
India, a country with over 1.4 billion people, is a land of vast linguistic diversity. With 22 officially recognized languages and hundreds of dialects, the language barrier has been a significant hurdle in the widespread adoption of AI technologies, particularly in rural areas where English proficiency is limited. While urban Indians can interact with AI through text-based chatbots in English, the majority of the population does not possess the language skills required to engage with these technologies effectively.
This challenge has created a unique opportunity for Indian startups to develop AI solutions that cater specifically to the local population. By leveraging data from multiple Indian languages, these companies are creating voice AI systems that can understand and respond in the native tongues of millions of people. This development not only democratizes access to AI but also positions India as a potential global leader in voice-driven AI technology.
Sarvam AI: India’s Answer to OpenAI
At the forefront of this movement is Sarvam AI, a startup that has quickly gained recognition as India’s equivalent of OpenAI. Sarvam AI’s new software, unveiled at the recent Bangalore event, is designed to interact with customers using spoken voice in 10 native Indian languages. Priced at just a rupee per minute, this technology is aimed at capturing a vast market by making AI accessible to a broader audience.
Sarvam AI’s voice bots are not just capable of understanding and responding in local languages; they are also equipped to handle mixed-language conversations—a common occurrence in India where people often switch between languages mid-sentence. These voice bots can perform a variety of tasks for customers, such as setting up appointments, facilitating payments, and even guiding users through specific religious rituals, as demonstrated by their partnership with the devotional app Sri Mandir.
Vinod Khosla, a billionaire venture capitalist and investor in Sarvam, emphasized the transformative potential of this technology, stating, “These voice bots have the potential to reach a billion people.” This statement highlights the immense scale and impact that voice AI can have in India, where reaching the vast majority of the population has traditionally been a significant challenge for technology providers.
The Role of AI in India’s Evolving Tech Landscape
India’s tech landscape has been rapidly evolving, particularly in the wake of global advancements in AI. However, while chatbots and AI-driven services have gained popularity, they have often been limited by a lack of data on many of the country’s languages. This limitation has hindered the ability of AI systems to fully understand and engage with the broader population, particularly in rural areas where internet penetration is growing, but language barriers remain.
The introduction of voice AI systems that can understand and respond in local languages marks a significant turning point. Startups like Sarvam AI are not just developing technology for India—they are creating AI solutions that could potentially be adapted for use in other multilingual and developing regions around the world.
This shift towards voice-driven AI is already playing out across a wide range of consumer and business applications in India. For instance, Samsung-backed Gnani AI handles millions of voice conversations daily for some of India’s largest banks, insurers, and car companies. CoRover AI offers voice bots in 14 Indian languages to state-owned enterprises like the railway corporation and regional police forces. Haloocom Technologies, another key player, has developed voice bots that speak in five Indian languages to assist with customer service tasks and job candidate screening.
These startups are demonstrating that voice is not just a feature but a fundamental way in which people will interact with technology in the future. As Ankush Sabharwal, co-founder and CEO of CoRover, aptly put it, “The world went from digital first to mobile first to AI first, but voice is the most intuitive way to use technology.”
Real-World Applications of Voice AI in India
One of the most prominent examples of voice AI in action is CoRover’s Ask Disha, a voice bot that went live this month for the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). Ask Disha allows users to book train tickets and complete payments entirely through voice commands, streamlining the process for millions of travelers across the country. This is a significant leap forward for India, where the convenience of voice-based interactions can make technology more accessible to those who may not be literate or comfortable using text-based interfaces.
Another example is Gnani AI’s voice bot, which assists lenders in conversing with potential customers to understand their financial needs, collect personal information, and determine loan eligibility. By automating these conversations, Gnani AI’s technology not only increases efficiency but also ensures that financial services are more accessible to a broader audience.
Sarvam AI’s voice bots, on the other hand, are making inroads into religious and cultural applications. The Sri Mandir app, which has over 10 million downloads on the Android Play Store, uses Sarvam AI’s technology to guide users through various rituals and help them ask for blessings at temples. This use of voice AI in religious contexts demonstrates the versatility of the technology and its potential to become an integral part of daily life for millions of Indians.
The Global Potential of India’s Voice AI Startups
While the primary focus of these startups is on the Indian market, many are also exploring opportunities in international markets. The success of voice AI in India has attracted attention from global players, who see the potential for these technologies to be adapted for use in other regions with similar linguistic diversity.
For instance, Gnani AI has already deployed its voice bots in the United States, working with a large California-based Harley-Davidson leasing company to reach Spanish-speaking customers. This demonstrates the scalability and adaptability of India’s voice AI technology, which could be applied to a variety of markets around the world.
Moreover, the Middle East and Japan are emerging as key markets for these Indian startups. Both regions present unique opportunities for voice AI, given their own linguistic diversity and the growing demand for AI-driven customer engagement solutions.
Addressing Safety and Ethical Concerns
As with any rapidly evolving technology, the rise of voice AI has also raised concerns about safety and ethical implications. In the United States, leading AI companies like OpenAI have been cautious about rolling out voice features, citing concerns about users becoming emotionally reliant on AI and the potential for misuse, such as impersonation or generating copyrighted audio.
In India, however, startups are moving forward with confidence, driven by the belief that AI tailored for specific use cases, languages, and audiences is more accurate, less expensive to run, and less prone to generating fabricated facts—commonly referred to as “hallucinations.” Ganesh Gopalan, co-founder and CEO of Gnani AI, emphasizes that “AI made for specific use cases, languages, and audiences is more accurate, less expensive to run, and has vastly reduced hallucinations.”
Nevertheless, as voice AI continues to gain traction, it will be essential for these companies to address potential risks and ensure that their technologies are used responsibly. This includes implementing robust security measures to prevent misuse and ensuring that AI systems are designed to respect user privacy and consent.
The Future of Voice AI in India
India’s voice AI startups are at the forefront of a technological revolution that has the potential to transform not only the way people interact with technology but also the broader AI landscape globally. By focusing on local languages and cultural contexts, these startups are creating AI solutions that are uniquely suited to the needs of the Indian population.
As these technologies continue to evolve, they are likely to become an integral part of everyday life in India, from booking train tickets to accessing financial services and even participating in religious rituals. The success of these startups also positions India as a potential global leader in voice AI, with the ability to export these technologies to other regions with similar needs.
Looking ahead, the next frontier for these startups will likely involve further refining their AI models to handle even more complex tasks, expanding their language capabilities, and exploring new applications for voice AI. This could include everything from healthcare and education to entertainment and beyond.
Conclusion
The rise of voice AI in India represents a significant step forward in the country’s technological development. Startups like Sarvam AI, Gnani AI, and CoRover are leading the charge, developing innovative solutions that have the potential to reach millions of people and transform the way they interact with technology.
As these companies continue to grow and expand their reach, they are not only addressing the unique challenges of the Indian market but also positioning themselves as global leaders in the voice AI space. With the support of investors and the growing demand for AI-driven solutions, the future looks bright for India’s voice AI startups, and their impact is likely to be felt far beyond the country’s borders.