In a groundbreaking effort to bridge the information gap in underserved communities, Viamo has launched a new service called ‘Ask Viamo Anything’. This innovative platform combines the power of artificial intelligence with targeted expertise from organizations like UNICEF to provide accessible information on a wide range of topics including health, education, agriculture, and more.
Currently, the pilot program is taking place in Zambia, where Viamo’s platform is used by 24 million people. However, the company has plans to expand its reach to other countries, including Pakistan, India, Nigeria, and Tanzania. This marks the fastest democratization of technology to date, bringing the latest iteration of AI to some of the world’s poorest and most remote communities.
David McAfee, the CEO and Co-founder of Viamo, emphasizes the ambition behind this project, saying, “Generative AI shouldn’t just help lawyers in LA do their job 10% better. As a species, we should have a more ambitious goal for the transformative potential of technology. There’s a real opportunity to help every person on the planet.”
What sets Viamo apart is its ability to convert voice to text and back to voice in real time, making it accessible to communities with low literacy rates. While most AI platforms rely on typing requests into a small box, Viamo uses basic voice calls as the interface, reaching a larger population than those who can log onto popular social media platforms.
With only 33% of Zambians having access to the internet, but over 80% owning a mobile phone, Viamo’s approach is revolutionary. By combining AI and mobile technology, they are bringing transformative technology to emerging markets at the same time as developed nations. This has the potential to change the lives of billions of people around the world.
Viamo operates as a for-profit social enterprise and has secured financing from social impact institutions such as the Global Innovation Fund, as well as government development agencies and commercial investors. Like Google, Viamo generates revenue by enabling organizations and companies to engage with its users. For example, UNICEF provides information on important issues such as HIV, tropical diseases, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Looking ahead, Viamo aims to raise approximately $30 million in capital to incorporate the benefits of generative AI into its platform in 22 countries across Africa and Asia. They are expanding their services to include Urdu in Pakistan, Hindi in India, English in Nigeria, and Swahili in Tanzania. These languages were chosen based on their support by the Whisper AI transcription tool and the significant underserved populations in these countries.
As a social enterprise, Viamo takes its responsibility of bringing generative AI to isolated communities seriously. They have observed that women and girls account for 54% of calls in Zambia, with a focus on health-related questions. Male callers, on the other hand, prioritize education and technology. In order to ensure appropriate responses, Viamo manually reviews daily responses, especially for questions related to mental health. They are careful to respect regional social norms and laws when addressing sensitive topics like sexuality or religion.
Since the start of the pilot in May, Viamo has seen an impressive number of users engaging with the platform. Approximately 10,000 people have asked nearly 90,000 questions so far, and the questions are becoming more wide-ranging and sophisticated as callers become accustomed to this new functionality.
The aim of Viamo is to reliably provide genuinely helpful and geographically specific responses to users. With the potential to transform lives and empower communities, ‘Ask Viamo Anything’ is on its way to revolutionizing access to information and bringing the benefits of AI to those who need it most.
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