Air India Takes Flight into the Future with AI-Enabled Virtual Agent 'Maharaja'

In a groundbreaking move, Air India has become the world's first airline to deploy a Generative AI virtual agent, marking a significant milestone in the aviation industry's integration of artificial intelligence. Named 'Maharaja,' this cutting-edge AI assistant is powered by Microsoft's Azure OpenAI service and has proven to be a game-changer since its beta phase launch in March 2023.

The initiative has soared to new heights, with Maharaja successfully handling over 6000 inquiries per day and addressing more than half a million customer queries to date. This virtual assistant operates seamlessly in four languages: Hindi, English, French, and German, showcasing Air India's commitment to providing a personalized and inclusive experience for its diverse customer base.

Maharaja's multifaceted role encompasses a diverse spectrum of customer inquiries, spanning 1,300 categories. From flight status and baggage allowances to check-in procedures, frequent flyer awards, airport lounge access, and even handling flight changes and refunds, Maharaja navigates a comprehensive array of topics with efficiency and accuracy.

One of Maharaja's standout features is its impressive response rate, answering over 80% of queries within seconds. For the remaining 15% that require additional assistance, Maharaja autonomously identifies the need and seamlessly transfers the query to Air India's contact center agents, ensuring a streamlined and customer-centric approach.

According to Satya Ramaswamy, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Air India, Maharaja represents the airline's commitment to delivering unparalleled service and experiences to valued guests. He highlights the discernible shift in guest preferences towards chat interactions and the leverage of Large Language Model-driven Generative AI capabilities for quick and direct access to information.

The introduction of Maharaja not only signifies a technological leap for Air India but also a reduction in the need for human intervention in handling basic queries. This allows for the automation of repetitive tasks such as booking, cancellation, and confirmation, optimizing human agents' bandwidth to focus on more intricate and value-added interactions.

Air India's approach involves a strategic blend of traditional machine learning techniques alongside Generative AI in its operational framework. The company places a strong emphasis on establishing safeguards to prevent the infiltration of biased or harmful language into its conversational AI system, ensuring a responsible and ethical use of AI technology.

Microsoft's Vice President, AI Platform, Marco Casalaina, expressed delight at Air India's successful deployment of Maharaja. He praised the airline's use of Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, envisioning the deployment as the inception of a new era in customer service. Casalaina anticipates more organizations harnessing the power of Generative AI and Microsoft's AI-optimized Azure cloud to deliver seamless and efficient customer experiences.

As Air India continues to lead the aviation industry in AI integration, Maharaja stands as a testament to the transformative power of artificial intelligence in enhancing customer service and shaping the future of air travel.

Nitin Panwar

Moderator

@iQOO Connect