Microsoft Azure’s India-Focused Voice-Based AI Apps

Microsoft, a major tech developer, is expanding its presence in Asia by partnering with Indian startup Sarvam AI to bring artificial intelligence (AI) products to the region. Through this partnership, Microsoft plans to incorporate Sarvam’s Indic voice large language model (LLM) into its Azure AI infrastructure. Sarvam will utilize Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI and Machine Learning services to host its LLMs, improving their training and scalability. This move aligns with Microsoft’s commitment to promote AI-driven growth and innovation in India. The company aims to help India become an “AI-first nation” and make the benefits of voice-driven AI accessible to all individuals, regardless of their language or background.

Sarvam’s LLM is designed to handle Indic languages and contextual inputs, making it possible to develop and deploy generative-AI applications more accurately and cost-effectively in India. Initially, the LLM will provide a natural voice-based interface in Hindi, the most widely spoken language in India, with approximately 609 million speakers in the Hindi Belt region. Microsoft believes that voice-based interfaces are the most intuitive option for generative AI apps in Indian languages. The partnership aims to assist local businesses in adopting generative AI in a fast and responsible manner.

Throughout the past year, Microsoft has placed a strong emphasis on AI in its expansion and development strategy. Its end-of-year earnings showed an 18% increase compared to the previous year, which it attributed to the integration of AI across its entire technology stack. Microsoft’s valuation also exceeded $3 trillion, surpassing Apple as the most valuable publicly traded company. In addition to its partnership with Sarvam AI, Microsoft has recently announced collaborations with Vodafone, a telecom provider, and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), focusing on AI development that benefits workers.