India’s Consumer Affairs Ministry Launches AI Assistant for Complaint Filing

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs in India, in collaboration with Gupshup, a conversational messaging platform, announced Jagriti, a virtual AI assistant for filing complaints. 

Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Consumer Affairs, launched the assistant at a press conference today. Jagiri is said to equip ‘cutting-edge’ text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities to provide stepwise assistance in filing complaints. 

“Once consumers authenticate with their mobile number, the virtual assistant’s interactive flow helps consumers file a complaint in less than a minute,” read the announcement. 

“As we harness the power of technology to uphold consumer rights, let us stride forward, knowing that each advancement brings us closer to a future where transparency, fairness, and trust define every interaction,” said Joshi. 

Earlier, Gupshup brought forth WhatsApp-based complaint filing, which recorded more than 8 lakh complaints registered till November this year. 

“With this Gen AI Assistant, we’re bringing government services like complaint filing directly to consumers’ fingertips, ensuring they can connect, engage, and resolve issues effortlessly,” said Beerud Sheth, founder and CEO of Gupshup. 

According to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), the average number of complaints registered per month amounted to 1,12,468 in 2024. Last month, NCH said it partnered with over 1,000 companies under the Convergence Programme to expedite grievance resolution. 

Unfortunately, Jagriti can only file complaints in English and Hindi for now. The NCH, however, supports 17 languages across the country. 

The advent of AI can bring about much-needed improvements for Indian citizens who want to reach out to the relevant government departments. Earlier this year, the government launched MyScheme, which offers a surprisingly user-friendly interface to access various schemes based on the eligibility of the individual. 

Moreover, multiple state governments across India had plenty of AI initiatives announced throughout 2024. Earlier this year, the cabinet also approved over 10,000 crores for the IndiaAI mission.  

Recently, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, called for a balanced approach to address fake news while safeguarding freedom of speech and was open to implementing new laws specific to AI.