Hyderabad: Two of Hyderabad’s leading research institutes, IIT and IIIT, have joined forces to boost India’s artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions by launching e-VikrAI. This innovative tool, part of the BharatGen initiative, is designed to simplify e-commerce for non-English speaking sellers by automating the listing process.

Under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) of the Union department of science and technology, BharatGen is focusing on developing AI models that cater to India’s diverse language and cultural needs. Led by IIT Bombay, with key contributions from IIT and IIIT Hyderabad, the project aims to create AI solutions that are accessible to all.

Prof. Ravi Kiran Sarvadevabhatla of IIIT Hyderabad, who leads the computer vision efforts, explained e-VikrAI: “What we have created with e-VikrAI is a tool that allows non-English speakers to easily participate in the digital economy . It’s a step towards making technology truly inclusive.”

The tool automates the online product listing process by analyzing images and generating descriptions in seconds. e-VikrAI translates these descriptions into several Indian languages, even vocalizing them for sellers’ convenience.

At the recent Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, e-VikrAI caught the attention of government officials and tech entrepreneurs. Researchers from both IIT Hyderabad and IIIT Hyderabad are also developing AI solutions for the agriculture, healthcare and legal sectors, expanding BharatGen’s impact beyond e-commerce.

Prof. PJ Narayanan, Director of IIIT Hyderabad added, “This is just the beginning. BharatGen’s AI tools will reshape the way Indians access technology, breaking down language barriers and making advanced services available to all.”