Microsoft and OpenAI have developed a chatbot called Jugalbandi that uses WhatsApp to provide information in local languages to villagers in India. Jugalbandi can answer questions about government programs, agriculture, and other topics. It has the potential to reach millions of people in India and help them access government programs and other information.
Microsoft and OpenAI have developed a chatbot called Jugalbandi that uses WhatsApp to provide information in local languages to villagers in India. The chatbot can answer questions about government programs, agriculture, and other topics. Jugalbandi is still under development, but it has the potential to reach millions of people in India.
India is the world’s second-largest wireless market, but the technological progress witnessed in its cities is starkly absent in smaller towns and villages. Only a meager 11% of the country’s populace is proficient in English, with a slight majority of 57% comfortable with Hindi. These communities also grapple with literacy issues, lacking even regular access to conventional media.
Jugalbandi is designed to bridge this gap. The chatbot uses language models from AI4 Bharat and reasoning models from Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to understand questions in local languages and provide accurate answers. Jugalbandi can also be used to access government programs, which can be difficult for villagers to navigate without assistance.
Microsoft envisions Jugalbandi expanding its reach to help villagers with a broad spectrum of needs. The chatbot has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of millions of people in India.
In addition to Jugalbandi, Microsoft is also working with other Indian companies to democratize information access. One such company is Gram Vaani, which runs an interactive voice-responsive platform that provides personalized assistance and advice to farmers. Gram Vaani has amassed 3 million users across northern and central India.
Microsoft’s work in India is part of a larger effort to use technology to improve the lives of people around the world. The company is committed to making technology accessible to everyone, regardless of their location, language, or literacy level.
