Snapdeal, a popular e-commerce platform, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhashini on Tuesday. With this partnership, Snapdeal aims to drive digital inclusion in the e-commerce space in India. The collaboration will use artificial intelligence (AI) to develop solutions and services for nine different spoken languages in the country. The online shopping platform said it will build AI-powered language translation solutions as well as AI-based voice technologies. Special focus will be on Tier-3 cities and beyond.
Snapdeal, Bhashini sign MoU to develop AI-based services
In a press release, Snapdeal noted that the MoU was signed to develop services and products to enhance language translation efforts that will ultimately promote digital inclusion in India. The company hasn’t specified any specific tools or services it will build.
It is currently unknown whether these technologies will be open-sourced to help the entire e-commerce ecosystem or will be used for the Snapdeal platform. The MOU was signed by Bharat Venishetti, Group Head, Strategic Finance, Snapdeal and Amitabh Nag, CEO, Bhashini.
Bhashini, an independent business unit set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) within the Digital India Corporation (DIC), said in a LinkedIn post that the partnership will make digital and e-commerce services “accessible to all”.
“This collaboration focuses on Snapdeal’s commitment to advancing digital inclusivity in India. We look forward to combining Bhashini’s deep expertise in language solutions with Snapdeal’s robust e-commerce platform to empower individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This initiative aligns seamlessly with our mission accessibility improvements and affordability in online shopping, especially in Tier 3 cities and beyond,” said Himanshu Chakrawarti, CEO, Snapdeal.
AI integration with Bhashini is believed to enable Snapdeal to display its product catalog, product descriptions and other areas of the platform in different languages without manually updating them. The e-commerce platform could also introduce voice search features.
“We are committed to harnessing technology for the greater good and enabling inclusive digital experiences for all. Through the innovative use of Al and technology, we are determined to break down barriers, build greater digital participation and create a more connected and inclusive digital ecosystem for all Indians,” said Nag.
