Air India has unveiled “Maharaja,” the world’s first artificial intelligence AI-powered virtual agent, capable of processing over 6,000 queries daily in four languages: Hindi, English, German, and French.
Maharaja assists travelers by addressing inquiries related to flight status, baggage rules, check-in procedures, loyalty programs, ticket refunds, and any flight-related changes. Unlike rule or keyword-based chatbots, artificial intelligence enables Maharaja to understand the context of user queries, providing logical and comprehensive responses.
According to the company, this digital consultant is designed to “reduce the number of routine queries, allowing Air India staff to focus on complex routes and ensure more efficient interactions with passengers.”
Notably, Maharaja responds to the majority of queries within 80 seconds, with only 15% of the total questions requiring escalation to Air India’s contact center staff.
Air India partnered with Microsoft to create this virtual agent, marking a step toward a new era of customer service. Marco Casalaina, Vice President of Microsoft for AI Implementation, expressed anticipation for more organizations to leverage AI capabilities.
“We believe this is the beginning of a new era of customer service, and we look forward to more organizations harnessing the power of artificial intelligence,” said Marco Casalaina.
Air India, owned by Tata Group, has also announced plans for rebranding. The airline has placed orders for over 500 aircraft, and by March 2024, it will add more than 400 weekly flights to its schedule, including 200 domestic flights and an equal number on popular international routes.
