Indian AI company Sarvam is set to broaden access to its innovative AI models by integrating them into feature phones, automobiles, and smart glasses, as revealed at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Supported by prominent investors such as Lightspeed, PeakXV, and Khosla Ventures, Sarvam is leveraging lightweight edge models that occupy minimal storage space and can function on existing smartphone processors, even offline.
In collaboration with HMD, the manufacturer of Nokia devices, Sarvam is introducing a conversational AI assistant tailored for Nokia feature phones. A demonstration showcased a user activating an AI feature via a dedicated button, enabling discussions in local languages about government initiatives and local market insights. However, specifics regarding the offline functionality of all showcased AI features remain unclear.
Tushar Goswamy, Sarvam’s head of Edge AI, emphasized the company’s commitment to incorporating AI across a variety of devices, stating, “Through edge AI, we want to bring intelligence to every phone, laptop, car, and even a new generation of devices.” Additionally, Sarvam has partnered with Qualcomm to optimize its AI models for Qualcomm chipsets, although specifics about the devices set to receive these enhancements have yet to be disclosed. Qualcomm is concurrently developing a “Sovereign AI Experience Suite,” aimed at making AI compatible across multiple platforms, including phones, PCs, and IoT devices.
Vivek Raghwan, co-founder and CEO of Sarvam, highlighted the partnership’s potential, asserting, “Our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies can accelerate how we take sovereign AI from research to deployment,” enabling the design of scalable models that prioritize data security.
Sarvam is also teaming up with Bosch, the renowned German engineering firm, to introduce AI assistants in vehicles, though further details on this collaboration are limited. Additionally, the company unveiled its Sarvam Kaze smart glasses, touted as a “builders’ device,” which is set to launch in May. Previously focused primarily on enterprise solutions, including voice-driven models for customer support, Sarvam’s recent innovations signal a strategic shift toward consumer applications.
