By Dhanendra Kumar
Nothing has transformed our lives in the recent past as the internet. However, today, it is artificial intelligence (AI) that is becoming a vital part of our daily lives and workplaces.
AI is the ability of machines and software to simulate human intelligence. It can understand, reason, learn, and assist with decision-making. Its transformative impact is profound, in myriad ways.
Sometime ago, DeepSeek of China had created a stir among existing global platforms like ChatGPT. Now India is coming up with the country’s first indigenous AI large language model platform (LLM), Sarvam, which is based in Bengaluru. It is the first start-up chosen for full support by the government under the Rs 10,370-crore IndiaAI Mission, with the model to be ready within six months.
AI is adding to the world economy significantly, with efficiency and productivity. According to a 2024 report by PwC, AI is expected to contribute over $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with India poised to get a significant share. It is also not replacing jobs; however, we need to reskill our youth. In fact, AI is expected to create over 20 million new jobs in India.
What is a “voice-first AI agent”? It is a personalised human-like virtual assistant one can talk to — like a colleague or assistant — and in one’s own language. There is no need to type any text, one can simply speak and the AI understands and responds to it instantly.
These systems are powered by LLMs, a new class of AI that allows machines to understand language, context, tone, and even emotions. Unlike older chatbots, voice-first AI agents can hold meaningful conversations in a human language such as English or Hindi.
India has 22 official languages, 121 languages, and over 19,500 dialects, making it the most multilingual country in the world. For a country like ours, voice-first AI agents can make a lot of sense.
A vast majority of the population is more comfortable speaking than typing. The internet can also become more voice-enabled, and there will be many more people accessing it using voice commands.
India has over 900 million active Internet users, but nearly half of them remain offline. Many among them are illiterate and non-tech-savvy, therefore they may find it easier to interact with AI through speech rather than text.
Think of voice-first AI agents as your digital co-worker — available 24×7. For instance, a farmer seeking information about crop diseases or weather updates could simply ask his personal AI assistant in his local dialect instead of navigating through text. Similarly, people looking for health advice, government schemes, or educational content could use this tool. These agents can be used in several ways.
Manufacturing and industry: Factory managers ask voice AI to check machine health or inventory while walking the floor. They get instant updates.
Banking and financial services: Customers speak to AI agents to check account balance or apply for loans. Relationship managers use voice tools for details or compliance updates.
Healthcare and telemedicine: Doctors dictate prescriptions, and the AI transcribes and stores them. Voice bots remind patients to take medicines or help schedule appointments.
Retail and e-commerce: Shop owners use voice commands to reorder goods, track deliveries, or view daily sales summaries.
Logistics and field services: Delivery staff and technicians use voice AI to receive route updates, safety protocols, and log reports.
Education and training: Students learn in their native languages using voice tutors. Teachers generate lesson plans or clear student doubts using voice assistants.
Governance and legal: Government officials ask AI to summarise policy updates or generate drafts of
regulatory documents.
There are several players that are active in this space. Here are a few examples.
AI LifeBOT: It builds customisable voice-first agents for human resources (HR), finance, education, and compliance.
Perplexity AI: It offers a voice-based search alternative with reliable, conversational answers.
CoRover: It develops secure voice agents for defence, aerospace, and critical industries.
One does not have to be a technology company, as many applications are available as a service, and even small and mid-size companies can use them. Some of the services are as follows:
• Automating internal queries (HR, payroll, compliance) using voice agents
• Enhancing call centres by handling routine customer issues faster
• Guiding field teams through tasks or safety checks using voice instructions
• Voice-powered dashboards for leaders to get reports and updates hands-free
However, at the same time, data privacy and transparency must be preserved, as laid down in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, while platforms must be carefully chosen and measures taken for data protection and cybersecurity.
As we march toward Viksit Bharat, AI can play a vital role, empowering millions of micro-entrepreneurs with voice tools, helping rural citizens access digital services in their own language, making education and healthcare systems more inclusive, and training a new generation of AI-ready professionals to make them employable.
However, this also requires us to modernise our education system, build AI capacity, and upskill our youth in areas such as data ethics, digital operations, and automation. Let us not fear AI. Let us shape and develop it responsibly, use it wisely, and prepare our people to grow with it.
The writer is chairman, Competition Advisory Services India LLP.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.
