India’s richest businessman, Mukesh Ambani, and his son, Akash Ambani, have taken a bold step forward in the AI race by visiting the US-based office of TWO, a Reliance Jio-backed AI startup. The visit signifies the duo’s commitment to advancing India's AI capabilities on a global scale. The company TWO is founded by Indian-origin tech leader, Pranav Mistry.
Mistry shared his excitement on LinkedIn, writing, “Pleasure hosting Mukesh Ambani and Akash Ambani at our TWO US office and discussing all things AI for India and beyond over chai.”
TWO has garnered significant attention within the AI space by launching SUTRA, a family of cost-efficient, multilingual generative AI models. These models are designed to support over 50 languages and offer diverse functionalities, including speech processing, search capabilities, and visual recognition. The introduction of these models is seen as a game changer, particularly in multilingual and multicultural regions like India, where language inclusivity is essential for technology adoption.
Among TWO’s latest innovations is ChatSUTRA, an AI-powered app similar to ChatGPT, that is designed to leverage SUTRA’s advanced models. The startup raised $20 million in funding back in February 2022, with key investments from Jio Platforms and South Korean internet conglomerate Naver.
Akash Ambani, the chairman of Jio Infocomm, has taken a vested interest in the startup’s growth and continues to support its development. Speaking about Jio’s involvement, Mistry stated, “Jio’s vision is to bring the power of AI through its services. Being a Jio partner gives us access to this market.”
Mistry further shared his admiration for Mukesh Ambani after the visit, stating, “Every time I meet Mukesh Ambani, he amazes me with his deep understanding of complex technologies. His sharpness and ability to grasp cutting-edge innovations always leaves me inspired. Grateful for the opportunity to learn from one of the brightest minds in business.”
Reliance Industries is positioning itself at the forefront of India’s AI revolution. During the company’s 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Mukesh Ambani emphasized the role of AI in shaping the future of Reliance and India at large. The company has already initiated a series of AI-driven projects that aim to transform India’s digital landscape.
Among these projects is the Jio Brain, an AI-powered service platform designed to enhance operations across various Reliance enterprises. Another notable innovation is Jio Phone Call AI, a feature that can transcribe, summarize, and translate phone conversations in real-time. These developments mark a significant step towards the widespread adoption of AI technology across various sectors in India.
The startup TWO, backed by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, has launched SUTRA Avatar, a revolutionary virtual avatar capable of real-time interaction. Built on TWO’s proprietary machine learning technologies, SUTRA Avatar is expected to transform industries such as customer service, education, entertainment, retail, and marketing. The avatar provides real-time responses, synchronized voice synthesis, and PixelReal visuals, offering a highly interactive user experience.
For example, in customer service, the avatar can handle inquiries in real time, providing solutions without the need for human intervention. Similarly, in education, SUTRA Avatar offers real-time feedback during virtual lessons, potentially revolutionizing how virtual learning is delivered. The avatar also provides immersive experiences in virtual reality (VR) and gaming, further expanding its application across entertainment sectors.
Reliance Jio is taking its AI ambitions even further with the launch of its Jio AI-Cloud, a move that directly challenges global competitors like Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS). As part of this initiative, Jio is offering its users up to 100 GB of free cloud storage this Diwali, signaling its intent to democratize access to AI-powered services across India. This offer reflects Jio’s broader vision to build national-level AI infrastructure that is accessible to all, helping to shape India’s digital future.
Mukesh Ambani and Akash Ambani’s recent visit to TWO’s US office signals their firm commitment to making India a global leader in AI technology. By investing in startups like TWO and launching ambitious projects such as Jio AI-Cloud, Reliance is laying the groundwork for a future where AI will play an integral role in driving India’s digital transformation. With products like SUTRA, ChatSUTRA, and SUTRA Avatar, Reliance aims to provide cutting-edge AI solutions that cater to both Indian and global markets.
As the AI revolution unfolds, Jio’s efforts in AI-driven services, cloud infrastructure, and generative AI models will likely have a transformative impact on industries ranging from customer service to education and entertainment, further solidifying India’s position in the global AI race.