"Hello UPI" : India now uses AI to bring voice-activated 'Mobile Payments'

NPCI has recently launched – "Hello! UPI" which is based on human-machine interaction and are facilitated by AI-enabled transactions.

Hello! UPI allows users to give voice commands to transfer funds and input UPI PIN through the UPI app, telecom calls, and IoT devices in Hindi and English. The feature is expected to be soon rolled out in other Indian languages as well. 

The product has been built in partnership between the NPCI, Bhashini program, (AI4Bharat) at IIT Madras. This expansion will broaden payment accessibility for most Indians who are fluent in their native languages, providing significant benefits to senior citizens and digitally inexperienced individuals.

In its white paper titled 'Conversational Payments on UPI: Unlocking New Frontiers for Next-Generation Payments,' NPCI highlights the rapid growth of voice search queries, recording a staggering 270% annual increase.

Conversational UPI: Two modes- This groundbreaking feature will eliminate the need for manual inputs. Users can interact with an AI-powered solution to complete transactions, available in two modes:

1. On-call: Users can dial a specified number, where they will be guided through an interactive voice response (IVR) system to finalize the payment.

2. In-app: This mode enables users to use voice commands within any UPI app to conduct transactions. The service integrates seamlessly with existing UPI apps, recognizing verbal requests and responding accordingly.

How Conversational UPI Works The technology behind Conversational UPI involves several steps:

1. Analog to digital conversion: Human speech is converted into a digital format.

2. Automatic speech recognition: Voice inputs are transformed into text.

3. Machine translation NLP: Natural Language Processing captures user intent and translates voice input to English.

4. Text-to-speech: Machine verifies user intent.

5. Voice output: Upon understanding user intent, the system provides a voice response.

This innovation promises a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for digital transactions. As users engage with the system, AI continually learns and improves its ability to fulfill user requests.

What are voice-based UPI payments?

Voice-based UPI payments allow users to make UPI payments using their voice commands. This is done through a voice assistant or voice bot that is integrated with a UPI app or payment platform. To make a voice-based UPI payment, users simply need to speak the required commands, such as the recipient's name, amount, and UPI PIN. The voice assistant will then process the payment and confirm the transaction with the user.

How do voice-based UPI payments work?

Voice-based UPI payments work on the following principles:

Natural language processing (NLP): NLP is a field of computer science that deals with the interaction between computers and human language. Voice assistants use NLP to understand the user's voice commands and convert them into text.

Automatic speech recognition (ASR): ASR is the process of converting spoken language into text. Voice assistants use ASR to convert the user's voice commands into digital signals, which are then processed by the NLP engine.

UPI API: Voice assistants use the UPI API to initiate and complete UPI transactions.

Benefits of voice-based UPI payments:

Voice-based UPI payments offer a number of benefits, including:

• Convenience: Voice-based UPI payments are very convenient, especially for users who are unable to type or for those who are on the go.
• Speed: Voice-based UPI payments are very fast, as users can simply speak their commands to make a payment.
• Accessibility: Voice-based UPI payments make digital payments more accessible to people with disabilities, such as those who are blind or have limited mobility.
• Security: Voice-based UPI payments are secure, as users need to authenticate the transaction with their UPI PIN.

Challenges of voice-based UPI payments:

There are a few challenges that need to be addressed before voice-based UPI payments can be widely adopted:

• Accuracy: Voice recognition technology is not always 100% accurate, so there is a risk of errors occurring.
• Security: Voice-based UPI payments can be vulnerable to fraud, such as phishing attacks.
• Awareness: Many users are not aware of the existence of voice-based UPI payments or how to use them.

Future of voice-based UPI payments :

Voice-based UPI payments are still in their early stages of development, but they have the potential to revolutionize the way people make digital payments. As voice recognition technology improves and becomes more widely adopted, voice-based UPI payments are expected to become more popular.

Conclusion:

Voice-based UPI payments are a convenient, fast, and accessible way to make digital payments. They are still in their early stages of development, but they have the potential to revolutionize the way people pay for goods and services.

This innovative feature is poised to make fund transfers easier for Indians who are fluent in their native languages. It promises to benefit senior citizens and those less familiar with digital interfaces.