Reliance Industries is set to launch 'Hanooman', a ChatGPT-style AI service

Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani, in collaboration with some of the country’s premier engineering institutions, is poised to unveil its pioneering ChatGPT-style service named ‘Hanooman’ next month. This initiative marks a significant milestone in the advancement of AI capabilities within India, promising to bring a new era of digital innovation and accessibility.

Collaboration at its Core

The development of ‘Hanooman’ is a result of a concerted effort between Reliance Jio Infocomm, Centre, and several Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), including IIT Bombay. This collaborative endeavor, featuring a consortium of Reliance and eight affiliated universities, underscores the synergy between India’s leading corporate powerhouse and its academic institutions in pushing the frontiers of technology.

A Sneak Peek into ‘Hanooman’

During a recent technology conference in Mumbai, attendees were offered a glimpse into the capabilities of ‘Hanooman’. Demonstrations included a motorcycle mechanic interacting with the AI in Tamil, a banker using Hindi to converse with the tool, and a developer from Hyderabad employing the tool for coding. This preview highlighted ‘Hanooman’s’ proficiency in handling complex interactions across various professional fields.

Multilingual and Multifaceted

One of the defining features of ‘Hanooman’ is its ability to operate across 11 local languages, catering to a wide spectrum of fields including healthcare, governance, financial services, and education. This multilingual capability, coupled with speech-to-text functionalities, positions ‘Hanooman’ as a highly user-friendly and versatile AI model, ready to transform the digital landscape in India.

The Future of AI in India

The launch of ‘Hanooman’ comes at a time when the AI sector in India is witnessing substantial growth, with startups like Sarvam and Krutrim, backed by notable investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners and Vinod Khosla’s fund, also venturing into the development of open-sourced AI models tailored for the Indian context. Reliance Jio’s vision extends beyond ‘Hanooman’, with plans to develop customized models for specific applications through ‘Jio Brain’, leveraging AI to enhance its services for a subscriber base of approximately 450 million.

A Unique Public-Private Partnership

BharatGPT’s initiative represents a groundbreaking public-private partnership, bringing together key stakeholders from diverse sectors to innovate and deploy AI solutions that are uniquely suited to India’s needs. This collaborative model not only exemplifies the potential for innovation but also sets a precedent for future technological advancements in the country.