India’s AI ambition: Pioneering the tech frontier

This blog is part of the AI worldwide series, which highlights customer stories from around the globe. Read more stories from Australia and New Zealand, France, Brazil, and Japan.

In the ever-evolving world of technology, AI stands out as a beacon of transformative power, heralding a new era of innovation and opportunity. With a diffusion rate faster than any other technology to date, it is imperative to recognize that AI is not just a technological leap but a global opportunity that transcends borders, industries, and cultures.

Reflecting on my recent discussions during Microsoft’s first AI Tour in India, I’m thrilled by the seismic shift underway in India’s AI landscape. India’s GDP is on track to grow from about USD3.5 trillion to USD5 trillion in the next three years,¹ fueling expected digital technology growth beyond 20% in the same period.² Equally impressive is how the country’s talent and innovative spirit are propelling us into a new era of technological advancement. In fact, India boasts one of the world’s largest pools of AI developers, with more developers contributing to GitHub than almost anywhere else in Asia. Indian AI projects on GitHub account for a quarter of the global total. Simply put, India’s role in shaping the future of AI is undeniable.

Through the lens of India’s vibrant innovation ecosystem, we witness firsthand the remarkable potential of AI to redefine the way businesses operate, solve complex challenges, and create unparalleled value for customers and communities alike.

Genpact’s AI Guru: Empowering teams through generative AI

The deployment of Genpact’s AI Guru, a generative AI chatbot, exemplifies the transformative impact of AI on employee learning and development. By leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Genpact, a global professional services firm, has revolutionized its internal learning platform, enabling employees to access a wealth of knowledge and expertise at their fingertips. AI Guru assists in everything from IT migration projects to providing management advice, showcasing the power of AI to enhance team collaboration, problem-solving, and productivity.

“Today it’s a learning companion,” said Prashant Shukla, who heads learning and content management for Genome, the company’s online learning platform and knowledge base for AI Guru. “The next step is guiding people on skills they should be learning. In future, we look at this as a coach for specific roles.”

This initiative not only boosts employee engagement and retention but also underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Shiksha copilot: Revolutionizing education with AI

In the realm of education, the Shiksha copilot project, developed in collaboration with the Sikshana Foundation and powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, demonstrates the incredible potential of AI to enrich teaching and learning experiences. By generating customized lesson plans, activities, and resources in minutes, Shiksha copilot enables teachers to deliver more engaging and effective instruction, particularly in resource-constrained settings.

“Obviously, they like these experiments,” said veteran science and math teacher Mahalakshmi Ashok, who uses Shiksha copilot to find engaging lesson activities for her students. “Each and every class is becoming lively. The learning has become easier.”

Indeed, AI-driven innovation like Shiksha copilot is not only a time saver for educators, but it provides new avenues for student engagement and learning, democratizing education and fostering a love for learning among students.

Myntra’s AI shopping assistant: Solving the “search” problem for online retail

In the online fashion retail space, Myntra’s AI shopping assistant represents a leap forward in enhancing customer experience through generative AI. By understanding abstract user queries and offering personalized fashion recommendations, the AI assistant breaks new ground in search functionality, moving beyond keywords to understand the nuances of customer preferences.

“This is big,” said Arit Mondal, director of product management at Myntra, “Why? Because this is the first time we have a solution which is solving the unsolved ‘search’ problem in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industry. And it’s live for customers at scale.”

Beyond streamlining the shopping experience, Myntra’s AI assistant reveals new possibilities for product discovery, significantly increasing the likelihood of purchase and customer satisfaction. Myntra’s success story illustrates the power of AI to understand and cater to the diverse needs of consumers, setting a new standard for personalized online retail.

Jugalbandi: Bridging language barriers with AI

The Jugalbandi project, an AI-driven chatbot initiative, showcases the transformative potential of AI in bridging language barriers and enhancing access to government services for India’s diverse population. By enabling users to interact with the chatbot in multiple languages and receive information in their local dialect, Jugalbandi democratizes access to essential public services and information, empowering individuals and communities.

“It understands your exact problem in your language and then tries to deliver the right information reliably and cheaply, even if that exists in some other language in a database somewhere,” said Abhigyan Raman, a project officer at AI4Bharat, an open-source language AI center based at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai that is a collaborator on the chatbot. “This is revolutionary for people who could not interact with tech because of language barriers.”

This initiative exemplifies the role of AI in fostering inclusivity and equity, ensuring that the benefits of technology reach every corner of society.

Air India’s AI.g: Pioneering AI in aviation customer service

Air India’s introduction of AI.g, the world’s first generative AI virtual agent in the airline industry, marks a significant milestone in leveraging AI to enhance customer service. Handling a wide array of queries across multiple domains, AI.g exemplifies the efficiency and scalability of AI in managing customer interactions, reducing the need for human intervention in routine tasks, and allowing human agents to focus on more complex issues.

“After the emergence of Large Language Model-driven Generative AI capabilities, we are increasingly seeing a definitive shift in guest preferences to use chat interactions to get the information and support they need quickly and directly as compared to browsing several web pages,” said Satya Ramaswamy, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Air India.

Air India has set a new benchmark for responsive customer service excellence in the aviation industry.

Karya’s platform narrows the digital divide while generating data

I also want to share how Karya is bridging the digital opportunity gap by providing people in India’s low-income and marginalized communities with access to AI-enabled digital work. Capitalizing on the increasing affordability of smartphones and data, Karya has developed a smartphone-based platform that integrates AI into daily life, opening up a range of language-based digital tasks to those in underserved rural areas. Serving not only as a source of income but also as a means to enhance digital literacy, Karya highlights the multiplex possibilities of AI to create economic opportunities and narrow the digital divide.

IndiGo’s 6Eskai chat assistant slashes workload for customers service agents

India’s leading airline, IndiGo, has introduced 6Eskai, an AI chat assistant built on Microsoft’s GPT-4 designed to revolutionize customer service by providing assistance in 10 languages and simplifying the ticket booking process. This initiative, developed in-house by IndiGo’s digital team in collaboration with Microsoft, has significantly reduced the workload on customer service agents by 75% and improved the efficiency of the booking journey.

“This innovative tool will offer seamless support to our passengers, providing quick and personalised assistance for their travel needs,” said Summi Sharma, Senior Vice President at IndiGo, “reflecting IndiGo’s dedication to technological advancements and customer-centric services.”

Equipped with 1.7 trillion parameters, 6Eskai offers a wide array of services, including ticket bookings, promotional discounts, and trip planning, through both type-written and voice-to-text natural language interactions, setting a new standard in airline customer service.

AI for everyone in India

The instances showcased in the blog reflect a larger story of Microsoft’s dedication to bolstering Indian enterprises through AI, fostering remarkable gains in efficiency and innovation. At the Mumbai tour, I encountered numerous business leaders who testified to the tangible benefits and significant return on investment (ROI) from AI integration. Avinash Raghavendra, President and chief information officer (CIO) of Axis Bank, remarked, “Our AI collaboration with Microsoft not only drives optimized and robust processes but also delivers employee satisfaction by providing the means to be always productive and resourceful.”

Similarly, Anup Purohit, CIO of Wipro, emphasized the transformative impact of generative and foundational AI: “Solutions such as Copilot have aligned with our objective of empowering our teams to achieve more efficient workflows and deliver high quality output. It has driven innovation and reinvention of our processes while helping us render better services to our clients.”

India is gaining attention not only for its output in terms of AI innovation but for the incoming investment it is attracting. During his visit in February 2024, Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Satya Nadella underscored the company’s dedication to bolstering India’s shift towards an AI-first economy, mirroring the country’s ambition for self-reliance through AI proficiency. Speaking at the Microsoft CEO Connection event in Mumbai, Nadella unveiled the ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA initiative aimed at equipping 2 million Indians with AI skills by 2025, addressing the national skills shortage and positioning India as a frontrunner in the AI domain.

This initiative not only reflects Microsoft’s commitment to closing the AI skills gap but also showcases India as a pivotal center for output and a prime destination for Microsoft’s investment.

“India is uniquely positioned to make the promise of AI a reality,” said Nadella. “We are committed to partnering broadly across the public and private sector to help close the nation’s AI skills gap and create new opportunity throughout the country.” 

Indeed, India’s innovative spirit and synergistic endeavors with Microsoft stand as a powerful testament to AI’s capacity to forge a more efficient, inclusive, and innovative global future. We can expect that India will continue to lead and innovate in the AI domain, punching above its weight on the global stage.

Take the next step in your AI journey

The era of AI is a global opportunity, beckoning us as business leaders to explore, innovate, and lead the way in shaping a future where technology and humanity converge to create a better world for all.

Take the next step in your AI journey by exploring Microsoft AI solutions, diving into The AI Strategy Roadmap, and getting skilled up with Microsoft Learn’s AI learning hub to ensure you’re ready to leverage Microsoft AI to its fullest potential.

---

Footnotes

¹The Economic Times, India to become USD 5 trillion economy, third-largest by 2027: RBI DG Patra.

²Reuters, India’s AI market seen touching $17 bln by 2027, notes Nasscom-BCG report.