India is set to launch its own advanced artificial intelligence chatbot, Sarvam AI, designed to understand and converse in multiple Indian languages. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the indigenous AI will be fully operational by December 2025 or January 2026, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to developing its own AI capabilities. The minister indicated his personal use of the platform, underscoring the government’s robust support for domestic AI innovation.
Developed by a Bengaluru-based startup focused on practical AI applications, Sarvam AI aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and everyday use. The company previously introduced a voice-based customer communication software trained on data from ten Indian languages, allowing seamless interaction in regional dialects. This native language support is a key differentiator from global AI giants like ChatGPT and Gemini, making Sarvam AI uniquely relevant for the Indian market and potentially appealing to international users familiar with these languages.
Sarvam AI is engineered for real-time voice interactions and automating routine tasks, serving as a crucial testing ground for India’s next wave of generative AI. The government is actively partnering with the startup to accelerate its development and deployment.
In a significant move, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) partnered with Sarvam AI in April to enhance Aadhaar services. This collaboration seeks to leverage generative AI to make Aadhaar enrollment and update processes more intelligent, efficient, and secure. Sarvam AI will offer real-time feedback to Aadhaar holders and will be instrumental in detecting fraudulent activities by flagging unusual authentication patterns and alerting authorities instantly.
Initially, Sarvam AI will support voice interactions and fraud detection in Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Odia, Punjabi, and Malayalam. Future plans include expanding support to more regional languages, solidifying India’s position in the global AI landscape.
Sarvam AI represents a monumental stride towards India’s goal of AI self-reliance. Its combination of local language capabilities, real-time voice interaction, and advanced fraud detection is poised to transform how Indians engage with AI technology on a daily basis.
