Big tech companies like Microsoft and Google, along with startups like Sarvam AI and Krutrim, are quickly creating AI voice assistants and chatbots for India’s diverse languages. With 22 official languages and thousands of dialects spoken by 1.4 billion people, there’s a huge market to serve.
Google recently introduced the Gemini AI an assistant in nine Indian languages. Microsoft Copilot artificial intelligence assistant is accessible in 12 Indian languages, with more projects underway at its Bengaluru, India study center. The goal of this project is to create small models of languages which operate in smartphones rather than the cloud, rendering them less costly and more accurate in areas with limited access to the internet.
Microsoft has partnered with Sarvam AI, which develops AI tools over Indian businesses. Sarvam AI raised $41 million from buyers including Peak XV (formerly Sequoia India) and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Hemant Mohapatra of Lightspeed India believes that supporting close artificial intelligence firms is critical as governments pull for “sovereign AI,” which is created and stored within their own borders.
India’s AI strategy doesn’t involve creating large language models (LLMs) from scratch to compete with global leaders like OpenAI. Instead, companies like Sarvam AI are modifying existing LLMs for Indian languages, using voice data to suit a population that often prefers audio communication over text.
India’s large and diverse population makes it a perfect testing ground for new AI technologies. Successfully implementing AI tools in India can help expand them to other countries, says Tanuja Ganu from Microsoft Research in Bengaluru. “We’re using India as a test bed, validating the technology here, and then expanding it globally,” she explains.
As AI companies adapt their technologies for India’s many languages, they’re not only meeting local needs but also preparing for global applications. This mix of innovation, investment, and strategic adaptation highlights India’s important role in the future of AI development.