MakeMyTrip adopts generative AI to offer voice-assisted travel bookings
MakeMyTrip has introduced voice-assisted travel bookings. The company has collaborated with Microsoft for this purpose. Based on the users' preferences, the new feature will provide travel recommendations, and will even be able to curate holiday packages on the basis of inputs like occasion, budget, activity preferences, and time of travel. What's more, it will even help book packages.
Why does this story matter?
Generative AI is growing by leaps and bounds and we are witnessing its surge. By integrating AI into its service, MakeMyTrip intends to make travel more inclusive and attract more users by providing the service in more languages. The key intention behind introducing voice-assisted bookings is to make the service more accessible to the smaller towns and cities in the country.
The latest integration will "alter the landscape of travel bookings"
"We are proud to introduce a feature that breaks down the barriers of language, literacy, inability to navigate complex app environments, physical impairments, etc," said Rajesh Magow, co-founder of MakeMyTrip. "This Generative AI integration through our collaboration with Microsoft involves simple visual cues and voice commands in native Indian languages that will alter the landscape of travel bookings."
The service makes use of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 systems
The new platform is based on Azure OpenAI Service and Azure Cognitive Services. It makes use of a combination of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 systems developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, said MakeMyTrip. The combination of Microsoft's large language models and Indic language speech models, along with MakeMyTrip's expertise when it comes to travel domain content will make it easier for user interactions, regardless of the language.
Here's how the trial went
The company carried out an AI voice chat trial in Bhojpuri. The feature provided information on the airline, flight dates, timings, and pricing. After selecting a trip, users received a QR code to complete a payment.
The beta version of the integration has been introduced
As of now, the beta version of the integration has been introduced in English and Hindi. The company aims to introduce more languages in the future. The new feature has been incorporated into the main page of the website and is available from the mobile app as well. The next stage of the voice-assisted booking feature will focus on other transport offerings.
Beta phase will help to "fine-tune all use cases"
"The beta phase will offer us learnings to further fine-tune all use cases before rolling it out to users at scale," said Sanjay Mohan, MakeMyTrip's group chief technology officer. "...We'll do a very controlled roll-out of this feature with a subset of our customers."
