Karnataka explores voice AI for skilling, healthcare and investor assistance

Karnataka is exploring pilot projects using ElevenLabs’ voice AI for skilling, healthcare, investment promotion, culture and citizen services. Discussions also focused on responsible AI, deepfake prevention, misinformation safeguards, voice restoration and watermarking, with officials seeking a roadmap for implementation

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is exploring pilot projects using ElevenLabs’ voice AI for skilling, investment promotion, healthcare, culture and citizen services, officials said on Thursday. The discussions were held between Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance Minister Priyank Kharge, a team from voice AI company ElevenLabs and senior officials of the department, they said.

According to a statement from the minister’s office, the engagement is part of Karnataka’s broader effort to work with leading technology companies and translate advances in AI into effective, efficient and accessible services for citizens.

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The discussions focused on areas where technology could simplify access to government services, improve skills and employment outcomes, and strengthen the state’s ability to respond to citizens’ needs, it said.

Potential applications included voice-enabled interview practice and skilling in Indian languages, as well as investor assistance and information services to help prospective investors navigate opportunities and government schemes.

The discussions covered voice restoration for people who have lost the ability to speak and the use of voice technology for cultural and public-service initiatives.

Responsible AI and voice safety were a key focus, including safeguards against deepfakes and misinformation, the statement said. The ElevenLabs team demonstrated a voice-enabled interview-practice tool and outlined the company’s work on synthetic-audio detection, provenance, traceability and watermarking, the department said.

A significant part of the discussion focused on the responsible use of voice AI in government, particularly the potential misuse of AI-generated voices to spread misinformation about government schemes, programmes and announcements, it said. The minister called for a clear roadmap across the identified areas and asked the teams to work towards an initial pilot that could demonstrate tangible public impact.

He said Karnataka had an opportunity to be at the forefront of translating AI innovation into better outcomes for citizens. “Our approach is to engage with companies that are building some of the most capable technologies globally, understand where those technologies can solve real problems, and then move towards pilots that can be scaled across the state,” Priyank said.

“Whether it is helping a young person prepare for a job, making it easier for an investor to access information, improving citizen services or using AI in healthcare, our focus has to be on building AI delivery models that are effective, efficient, accessible and responsible,” he added.

The ElevenLabs team also invited Kharge to participate in the ElevenLabs India Summit in Bengaluru in October, where the company’s leadership will discuss developments in voice AI and its applications in India, the department added.