Key facts
- Reliance Industries is rolling out AI services including Jio Call Agent, an AI assistant for phone calls, an AI-powered MyJio app, and a home display device named TeleFrame.
- Jio Call Agent will transcribe calls, generate summaries, and perform tasks like booking cabs and making reservations.
- The company aims to make AI assistance a native feature of phone calls by embedding it into its telecom network.
- Reliance plans to invest $110 billion in AI infrastructure and has formed partnerships with Google, Meta, and Nvidia.
- New AI-branded services for healthcare (JioHealthIQ), education (JioLearnIQ), agriculture (JioKrishiIQ), and small businesses (AI Vyapar) were also announced.
- Jio Platforms' board has approved a draft prospectus for an initial public offering.
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries is making a significant push into artificial intelligence, aiming to position the Indian conglomerate as a national leader in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. At its annual shareholder meeting, Reliance unveiled a suite of AI-powered services designed to integrate into daily life, from phone calls and mobile applications to connected homes.
The company announced Jio Call Agent, an AI assistant that can join phone calls to transcribe conversations, generate summaries, and execute tasks such as booking cabs and making reservations. This service, activated by saying "Hey Jio," is slated for launch later this year for Jio's over 500 million users. Reliance's strategy involves embedding this AI assistance directly into its telecom network, potentially reducing reliance on third-party apps and providing a distribution advantage.
Further innovations include an AI-enhanced MyJio app capable of handling tasks like eSIM activation and selecting roaming plans via natural language. Reliance also introduced TeleFrame, a home display device utilizing AI agents to proactively offer information and recommendations, mirroring industry trends from companies like Amazon and Google.
These announcements signify Reliance's next phase of AI development, aligning with India's broader goal to foster domestic AI capabilities amidst global dominance by U.S. and Chinese tech firms. The conglomerate's commitment includes a $110 billion investment in AI infrastructure and partnerships with major tech players like Google, Meta, and Nvidia. Reliance also aims to develop AI applications supporting 22 Indian languages.
In addition to consumer-facing products, Reliance introduced specialized AI services for key sectors: JioHealthIQ for healthcare, JioLearnIQ for education, JioKrishiIQ for agriculture, and AI Vyapar for small businesses, all tailored to local Indian needs and languages.
The shareholder meeting also revealed progress on Jio's stock market debut, with the board approving a draft prospectus for an IPO that includes issuing up to 270 million new shares.
Questions remain regarding Reliance's handling of user data, particularly whether data generated by these AI services will be used to train AI models or shared with partners, despite assurances of user consent. This move comes as Indian companies grapple with dependence on foreign AI models and cloud providers, highlighting supply-chain risks that drive local development.
Reliance's AI initiatives are part of a broader trend in India, with companies like Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Adani Group also expanding their AI efforts and collaborations. For Reliance, these advancements are crucial as it prepares Jio for its IPO and seeks new growth avenues amid a recent dip in its share price.