Microsoft Azure lays foundation for India-focused voice-based generative AI apps

Microsoft revealed a partnership with Indian startup Sarvam AI to build on its Azure AI models and deploy a voice-based large language model targeting Indic languages and context.

Big Tech developer Microsoft is extending its reach in Asia with its artificial intelligence (AI) products through a new partnership with the Indian startup Sarvam AI. 

According to a blog post from Microsoft on Feb. 8, it plans to bring Sarvam’s Indic voice large language model (LLM) to its Azure AI infrastructure. Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI and Machine Learning services will be leveraged by Sarvam to host its LLMs, while accelerating their training and scaling.

It says the development is a part of its commitment to “enabling AI-driven growth and innovation in India.”

Puneet Chandok, the president of Microsoft India and South Asia, said the company aims to support India in becoming an “AI-first nation.”

“…we are not just supporting homegrown innovation – we are fostering a future where every individual, regardless of their language or background, can benefit from the power of voice-driven AI solutions.”

The LLM built by Sarvam targets inputs in Indic languages and “context” which would essentially allow for the development and deployment of generative-AI applications to be more precise and “cost-effective” in India. 

Initially the LLM will provide a “natural voice-based interface” available in the Hindi language — the most popular language on the Indian subcontinent and the “lingua franca” of the Hindi Belt region with nearly 609 million speakers.

Microsoft’s announcement said voice-based interfaces are the “most natural” interfaces for generative AI apps in Indian languages.

The partnership also anticipates collaborations to help local businesses adopt generative AI quickly and “responsibly.”

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Throughout the last year, the technology has been at the forefront of Microsoft’s overall expansion and development strategy. Its end-of-the-year earnings showed an 18% increase compared to the previous year, which it attributed to “infusing AI” across its entire tech stack.

Around the same time, Microsoft’s valuation crossed $3 trillion, surpassing Apple as the most valuable publicly traded company.

It has recently announced other partnerships with the telecom provider Vodafone and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) in the United States for “worker-focused” AI development.