Bhashini: Bridging the language gap with AI | Amitabh Nag | Tech Trailblazers

In this episode of Tech Trailblazers, we speak with Mr. Amitabh Nag, CEO of Bhashini, a groundbreaking platform that promotes digital inclusivity in India. Mr. Nag dives into Bhashini’s core function of translating languages using AI to eliminate communication barriers. This allows people to access information and collaborate in their native tongue. Bhashini empowers individuals to learn, work, and conduct transactions seamlessly, fostering cultural exchange and linguistic diversity.

Bhashini leverages AI to bridge the language gap. Mr. Nag explains how AI models are constantly refined to overcome challenges in speech-to-speech translation. The platform envisions a future where language barriers are a thing of the past, allowing users to perform daily tasks, like paying fees or receiving instructions, in their preferred language.

Mr. Nag emphasises Bhashini’s role in creating a foundation for startups to develop innovative solutions addressing the digital divide and illiteracy. Their partnership with ONDC aims to make e-commerce accessible to everyone by creating multilingual and voice-enabled solutions. Additionally, Bhashini’s chatbot, developed with the Ministry of Agriculture, assists farmers with issues related to government schemes.

Bhashini stands out as a unique digital infrastructure project in India. It utilises open-source AI models and datasets to create multilingual voice-based payment transactions and language services. Mr. Nag emphasises Bhashini’s role as a valuable national resource for the future.

Bhashini plans to significantly expand its use cases, aiming to reach 500 in the near future. Their focus is on democratising AI by making it accessible and relevant to all. Mr. Nag underlines Bhashini’s commitment to maintaining linguistic diversity and ensuring AI serves the needs of a multicultural society.