Microsoft-backed Indian group aims to bridge language barrier with AI assistant

An Indian research group backed by Microsoft and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani is using generative AI, the technology behind chatbot sensation ChatGPT, for a mobile assistant that aims to make information on government schemes accessible in multiple languages.

The Jugalbandi bot, named after a duet where two musicians riff off each other, uses language models from government-backed AI4Bharat and artificial intelligence tech through Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service.

Operating over Meta Platforms-owned WhatsApp messaging service, the bot can understand questions in 10 Indian languages and retrieves information that is usually written in English on government websites to relay it in local languages.