AI startup Sarvam AI, in partnership with EkStep Foundation and AI4Bharat, has launched the "Listen at Scale" initiative to deploy multilingual voice AI agents across India. This project aims to revolutionize public service by shifting to interactive, two-way conversations in local languages. The initial pilot successfully engaged five million users, demonstrating significant potential for scalable outreach and inclusive governance.
Transforming Public Outreach with Voice AI
The initiative addresses the limitations of traditional communication methods like IVR calls and SMS messages. By enabling structured voice conversations in regional dialects, it makes digital services accessible to citizens facing literacy or technology barriers. This voice-first approach is designed to include populations often marginalized by text-heavy digital interfaces.
This ambitious project is built on a strong collaborative framework involving key organizations. EkStep Foundation provided the essential platform infrastructure and supported community-level implementation efforts. Meanwhile, AI4Bharat was tasked with studying the program's results to analyze its effectiveness and overall impact.
Demonstrating Impact Across National Schemes
The program has already demonstrated considerable success in major public sector initiatives. For instance, the National Health Authority utilized the system to contact over 1.4 million senior citizens for the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana. This outreach resulted in a remarkable 42% increase in daily enrolments for the healthcare scheme.
In another key use case, the technology assisted the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The AI agents profiled more than 414,000 individuals, generating nearly 51,000 actionable cases for assistive devices and financial support. This application highlights the system's capacity to streamline and target social welfare delivery effectively.
Collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission yielded crucial data on the informal labor market. The program revealed that over 92% of the informal workers profiled had no prior formal employment records. This insight helps policymakers better understand and support this previously undocumented segment of the workforce.
Generating Actionable State-Level Insights
The initiative has also proven effective at generating actionable insights at the state level. In Maharashtra, the AI system detected potential inefficiencies or middlemen interference in approximately 2.75% of scheme delivery interactions. This capability provides a valuable tool for enhancing transparency and accountability in public programs.
Similarly, deployment in Odisha provided critical feedback on an agricultural program. The system confirmed a high 77% seed receipt rate among farmers but also identified a lower 63% adoption rate for other inputs. This data allows for targeted policy corrections to close the identified procurement gap.
Sarvam AI's Broader Vision for Indian AI
The "Listen at Scale" project is a key part of Sarvam AI's broader strategy for advancing India's AI ecosystem. The startup recently open-sourced two advanced reasoning models to encourage wider innovation and development. These actions underscore the company's commitment to building foundational AI capabilities for the nation.
Sarvam AI is well-positioned for growth with support from investors like Lightspeed Venture Partners and Peak XV Partners. Backed by the government's IndiaAI Mission, the company is preparing to raise additional capital. This funding will be crucial for scaling its infrastructure and expanding deployments nationwide.
The "Listen at Scale" initiative marks a significant advancement in using AI for inclusive public service in India. By leveraging conversational voice technology, the collaboration is effectively bridging the digital divide and making governance more interactive. The project's early successes signal a promising future for technology-driven citizen engagement across the country.