Indian conglomerate Mukesh Ambani wants AI to enter phones, apps, to the home

Indian conglomerate Mukesh Ambani introduced Reliance Industries' AI strategy. The company is preparing AI services for phones, apps, and smart homes for more than 500 million Jio users. (Photo: x @indianweb2.)

JAKARTA - Mukesh Ambani's conglomerate does not want India to be just an artificial intelligence or AI market. The billionaire owner of Reliance Industries is pushing AI into the services that citizens use most often, namely phone calls, mobile applications, and home devices.

TechCrunch quoted Saturday, June 20, reported that Reliance introduced a number of AI services at its annual shareholders meeting on Friday. The most striking product is Jio Call Agent, an AI assistant who can join a phone call.

This service can copy conversations, create summaries, order taxis, order food, and make reservations. Users simply say "Hey Jio". The service is targeted to launch later this year for more than 500 million Jio users.

Jio does not make the service a separate application. Reliance plants it directly into the telecommunications network. In this way, AI is prepared to be a built-in feature in phone calls and potentially reduce users' dependence on third-party call assistant applications.

Reliance also introduced a new AI-based version of MyJio. The app can execute user commands in everyday language, from activating eSIM to choosing a roaming package. An eSIM is a digital SIM card embedded in a device, so users don't need to install a physical card.

For the home, Reliance launched TeleFrame, a smart screen that uses an AI agent to display information and recommendations. For example, weather alerts, schedules, and household reminders. This product is on the same path as Amazon and Google through AI assistants for the home.

Reliance's ambitions do not stop at new features. India is trying to build its own AI capabilities amid the dominance of US and Chinese technology companies.

Through Reliance Intelligence, which was launched last year, the conglomerate wants to build AI infrastructure and services for consumers, businesses, and governments. Its services are also targeted to support 22 Indian languages.

"India must not just be a consumer of AI made elsewhere. India must become a creator, user, and global leader in AI," said Ambani, 69.

According to TechCrunch, Reliance is also expanding its cooperation with Google, Meta, and Nvidia. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to invest US$110 billion in AI infrastructure. AI infrastructure includes data centers, chips, networks, and computing systems needed to run artificial intelligence services.

During the meeting, Reliance also released AI services for health, education, agriculture, and small businesses. Its products are named JioHealthIQ, JioLearnIQ, JioKrishiIQ, and AI Vyapar. All of them are designed to be used in many Indian languages and according to local needs.

There is another news for investors. Ambani said the Jio Platforms board had approved a draft prospectus for an IPO. An IPO is an initial public offering of shares. The plan includes the issuance of up to 270 million new shares, according to a filing with the exchange.

However, Reliance's AI expansion also brings up big questions about user data. This AI service touches phone calls, apps, and home devices. Reliance says the service runs with user consent. But the company has not answered whether data from the product will be used to train AI models or shared with technology partners.

The question is sensitive because AI requires large amounts of data. The closer the service is to the user's daily activities, the greater the company's responsibility to protect privacy.

Reliance's ambitions come at a time when many Indian companies still rely on foreign AI models and cloud computing services. Cloud computing is a service for storing and processing data via internet servers, not your own devices. Restrictions on access to some of Anthropic's latest models have recently shown this risk. Decisions abroad can directly impact startups and AI companies in India.

As such, a number of Indian conglomerates have started building their own technology stacks, rather than just renting out those of global players.

Last week, Reliance announced a partnership with Meta to build an AI data center in Gujarat, western India. The move continues Meta's investment in Jio Platforms and a joint venture to develop AI solutions for corporate customers in India and overseas markets.

Reliance is not alone. Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Adani Group are also expanding AI initiatives as well as partnerships with global players such as Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI.

For Reliance, the stakes are high. Jio is preparing for an IPO. The company also needs new sources of growth after the conglomerate's shares fell about 17 percent this year.