As Mumbai’s streets bustle with energy, delivery vehicles dart through congested roads ensuring fast service to millions. For delivery driver Vineet Sawant, however, navigating this complex urban maze entailed more than just physical challenges it presented significant linguistic hurdles. Speaking primarily Marathi, one of India’s 22 official languages, Sawant struggled with delivery instructions presented solely in English, limiting his efficiency and confidence. Now, thanks to AI-powered translation technology deployed by his employer Zepto, those barriers are dissolving, marking a significant step in India’s journey to harness artificial intelligence for its richly diverse linguistic landscape.
Linguistic Diversity Poses Digital Challenges
India’s linguistic environment is famously complex, officially recognizing 22 languages and hosting hundreds of dialects nationwide. According to Professor Pushpak Bhattacharyya of IIT Mumbai, a leading AI and language technology expert, this diversity “excludes millions from the digital revolution especially in sectors like education, governance, healthcare, and banking where language-specific digital tools are scarce.”
Mr. Sawant’s experience encapsulates this widespread challenge. “At first, everything was in English it was difficult for me,” he said. “I used to ask other delivery guys for help to understand instructions.” His difficulties were not unique; many workers in India encounter similar obstacles when apps and services fail to accommodate regional languages.
This issue has become increasingly urgent with the rise of generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, which require vast amounts of high-quality, language-specific data to function effectively. While English and Hindi benefit from abundant linguistic resources, other Indian languages often suffer from a lack of digitized, refined datasets. Professor Bhattacharyya explains, “Coarse quality data is available, but we need refined, high-quality data. For many tribal and regional dialects, this data simply does not exist or is not digitised.”
AI-Powered Translation Services Enter the Workforce
In 2024, Zepto, an online grocery delivery startup promising “India’s fastest delivery,” took a significant step to address such issues. Partnering with Reverie Language Technologies, Zepto integrated an AI-driven translation feature into its delivery app, allowing drivers to select from six regional languages including Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali. The result: faster, clearer communication with customers and improved delivery efficiency.
Vineet Sawant notes the impact firsthand: “Now I don’t have to guess. If the customer writes ‘ring bell,’ I receive the instruction in Marathi immediately. It saves time and reduces mistakes.”
Vivekananda Pani, co-founder of Reverie Language Technologies, acknowledges the transformative potential of such tools but cautions against unintended consequences. “While translation technology facilitates communication, we must ensure that less common dialects are not pushed aside,” he said. “The challenge is to preserve the rich variety of human language even as AI improves accessibility.”
Government Initiatives to Build India-Specific AI
Recognizing the critical need for indigenous linguistic AI solutions, the Indian government launched Bhashini in 2022 a comprehensive project aimed at developing high-quality datasets, AI language models, and translation services across all 22 official languages.
Amitabh Nag, CEO of Digital India’s Bhashini Division, highlights the platform’s scale and objectives: “Bhashini hosts over 350 AI-based language models, having processed more than a billion tasks. We collaborate with over 50 central government departments and 25 state governments to deploy multilingual chatbots and translate public service schemes into local languages.”
By focusing on India-specific models rather than relying on global platforms, Bhashini seeks to enhance linguistic inclusivity and cultural representation. Nag forecasts, “Within the next two to three years, rural users should be able to access government services, financial tools, and informational resources in their native languages via voice-enabled AI.”
Expanding AI’s Reach in Healthcare and Beyond
Beyond delivering parcels and government services, AI’s multilingual capacities are being tailored for healthcare applications. Kshitij Jadhav, Associate Professor at the Koita Centre for Digital Health (IIT Mumbai), is developing an AI system to assist people looking to quit smoking, a service in high demand but limited by the availability of trained, multilingual human counselors.
“The AI will identify the stage a user is at in their quitting journey and provide customized counseling including emotion and empathy,” Jadhav explained. Initial trials cover English and Hindi, with plans to extend the model to 22 languages, allowing for more personalized and accessible support across India’s linguistic spectrum.
Economic and Social Implications
India’s booming digital economy, expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030, depends heavily on inclusivity bridging language divides. According to a 2023 KPMG report, nearly 70% of new internet users in India prefer regional languages over English a trend that AI localization must address to unlock full growth potential.
Furthermore, the integration of AI translation technology in everyday sectors like logistics, healthcare, governance, and education may alleviate social inequities by enabling millions who speak non-Hindi or non-English languages to participate fully in digital society.
Professor Bhattacharyya underscores these points: “Companies and governments must invest in linguistic AI not only for commercial reasons but as a social imperative. Language should not be a barrier to accessing essential services in the 21st century.”
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Despite progress, challenges remain. The scarcity of digitized, high-quality data for tribal and minor languages impedes comprehensive AI training. Additionally, ethical considerations regarding linguistic homogenization must be balanced with technological advancement.
Initiatives like Bhashini and private sector innovations by firms like Reverie offer promising blueprints. Stakeholders emphasize collaboration across government, academia, and industry as essential for creating AI solutions that reflect India’s extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity.
Vineet Sawant’s story provides a compelling microcosm of this national transformation. With AI-enabled language tools, he has increased his daily deliveries from 10 to 30 parcels, boosting his livelihood and sense of belonging. “When the app speaks our language, we feel more confident and work better,” he said.
As India accelerates toward a digitally inclusive future, artificial intelligence if designed thoughtfully may become a powerful bridge across its complex linguistic landscape.
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