During their annual Google for India event at Pragati Maidan, Google reaffirmed its commitment to India, unveiling a range of AI-powered initiatives, partnerships, and investments.
These endeavors, encompassing core products like Search, GPay, and Google Cloud, are designed to boost India’s digital success by leveraging its robust Digital Public Infrastructure, creating more opportunities for individuals, businesses, and institutions.
Expanding Access to Responsible Credit with Google Pay
In alignment with the government’s vision to broaden access to responsible credit, Google Pay has introduced several products and partnerships aimed at offering convenient and reliable credit options to underserved users and merchants. These products are underwritten by accredited financial institutions, ensuring accessibility, simplicity, and convenience.
Key Announcements by Google Pay
Over 350 million Indians now engage in digital transactions, highlighting the significant impact of Google Pay and UPI. However, credit access in India lags behind global and regional averages.
In an effort to bridge this gap, Google Pay is collaborating with banks and NBFCs to provide credit solutions, with a focus on both consumers and merchants.
Merchant Offerings
- Merchant Credit Line: A credit line for merchants, in partnership with ePayLater, addressing working capital needs.
- Sachet Loans: Small-ticket loans for merchants in collaboration with DMI Finance, starting from ₹15,000.
- Expanding Merchant Loans: A new partnership with ICICI Bank for seamless repeat loans.
Consumer Offerings
- Expanding Personal Loans: Axis Bank’s personal loans are now available on Google Pay.
- Credit on UPI: Users can avail credit lines from banks on UPI via Google Pay, making payments as easy as UPI transactions.
DigiKavach: Combating Online Financial Fraud
To combat the rising threat of financial scams, Google introduces DigiKavach, an early threat detection system designed to identify and counter emerging financial fraud patterns.
Google collaborates with experts and organizations to protect users from malicious actors, with a particular focus on predatory digital lending apps on Play Store in India.
Axis My India and Google Cloud’s Citizen-Centric Super-App
Axis My India partners with Google Cloud to develop a multilingual super-app called “a,” aimed at increasing awareness and accessibility to government social welfare schemes, employment opportunities, and healthcare benefits. Google Cloud’s Gen AI enhances the user experience, providing real-time and personalized information.
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
Google Cloud and ONDC join forces to enable seamless onboarding for buyers and sellers. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) can now sell their produce online, promoting digital commerce accessibility regardless of digital literacy or geographical location.
Google.org’s Philanthropic Initiatives in India
Google.org announces grants exceeding $7 million to support Indian nonprofits. These grants include $4 million to the CyberPeace Foundation for online safety and digital literacy and $3.3 million to Wadhwani AI for AI-powered pest management in agriculture.
YouTube’s Contribution to Indian Economy and News Expansion
YouTube’s creative ecosystem has significantly contributed to the Indian GDP and job creation. To enhance the credibility of news sources, YouTube introduced a new immersive experience for news stories in 11 languages, aimed at providing in-depth content to viewers.
Google’s Generative AI Search Experience
Google enhances its generative AI search experience in India, incorporating videos, images, and user reviews. This feature will help users access critical information about government schemes and use Google Lens to search for visually similar skin conditions.
Improving Shopping Experience for Small Businesses
Google introduces a more visual and interactive shopping experience on Search, with filters to simplify product searches. Business Messages enable direct communication with merchants within the Search interface, enhancing the shopping experience for consumers and small businesses.
Speaking at the event, Sanjay Gupta, Country Manager and Vice President, Google India, said:
The unique blend of India’s interoperable Digital Public Infrastructure and its tech-savvy populace positions the country for its next digital breakthrough. With the possibilities offered by generative AI, India has the potential to expand the horizons of every aspiring Indian, building upon its digital achievements in this new technological era.
We eagerly anticipate mapping the future course of our partnership with India, focusing on democratizing credit and commerce, enhancing citizen services in diverse Indian languages, and delivering cutting-edge AI capabilities to all users. Concurrently, we are intensifying our commitment to fortify the ecosystem against online threats.
At Google, we are deeply dedicated to being a trusted, responsible, and valuable partner in India’s digital transformation journey. We remain committed to collaborating with the government to foster innovation, stimulate economic growth, bolster national security, and safeguard the privacy and safety of the countless Indians who choose our products and services.