Digvijaya Naidu Atla is working with the Ministry of Agriculture on 2 Agri-Tech projects:

1. PMKISAN is a government scheme where my team and I help streamline the processes.  2. Agri-Chatbot named Kisan-eMitra, an AI Chatbot that assists farmers in addressing grievances by offering guidance & recommendations on Agri schemes & services. 

He is looking at the product development and project management of the Kisan-eMitra AI Chatbot initiative.

INDIAai interviewed Digvijaya to get his perspective on AI.

How did you get into AI? Tell us about your AI journey.

I've always been fascinated by the potential of technology to address real-world challenges. I've previously worked for Amazon in Alexa Technical support. Alexa is the voice assistant used in the Amazon Echo devices. Later, I did my MBA from IIM Sambalpur, where I took up relevant elective courses regarding emerging technologies, sparking my interest in these cutting-edge fields. As I delved deeper into my studies, I began to see the transformative power of AI in solving complex problems.

Later, after completing my formal education, I got this opportunity to work on AI projects for Agriculture. The potential to apply AI to improve various aspects of people's lives, especially in critical sectors like agriculture, became a driving force for me. It led me to take on roles that allowed me to contribute to projects like the PM-KISAN AI chatbot (named Kisan-eMitra), where AI could make a tangible difference.

Tell us about the PM-KISAN AI chatbot.

The PM-KISAN AI chatbot is crucial to the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKISAN) initiative to support land-holding farmers across India. The chatbot is a virtual assistant that provides farmers quick and accurate information about their application status, payment details, and eligibility criteria. It offers a personalized experience, with features such as speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and speech-to-speech, ensuring accessibility for users with varying levels of technological proficiency.

The chatbot's development is ongoing, with a phased approach to its launch. The initial phase addresses critical areas such as beneficiary status, account issues, and instalment payment-related queries. As we progress, there are plans to integrate advanced AI and ML capabilities to integrate other Government agricultural schemes and more native languages in the grievance redressal system, ensuring the Chatbot is a one-stop solution to provide accurate information to farmers' concerns.

Tell us about the exciting challenges you faced during the development phase of the PM-KISAN AI chatbot. How did you overcome them?

Ensuring the chatbot could understand and respond to queries in multiple languages during the development phase was a significant challenge. Farmers across India speak diverse languages, and effective communication requires a robust language processing system. We overcame this challenge by collaborating with Bhashini (National Language Translation Mission) and integrating translation capabilities into the chatbot. It ensured that farmers could interact with the chatbot in their native language, making the information more accessible and user-friendly.

Additionally, ensuring the chatbot's accuracy in addressing complex queries related to the PMKISAN scheme posed another challenge. To overcome this, we employed a self-learning AI model and collaborated with EkStep Foundation and Bhashini for continuous improvement. Regular feedback loops, user testing, and refining the chatbot's algorithms were essential to overcome these challenges.

Tell us about the integration with Bhashini.

Integrating with Bhashini is a crucial aspect of our efforts to enhance user experience and accessibility. Bhashini, being the National Language Translation Mission, plays a pivotal role in enabling the chatbot to interact with users in their native languages. In the initial phase, the chatbot is launched in five majorly spoken Indian languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Bangla, and Odia.

This integration ensures that farmers can communicate with the chatbot effectively regardless of their linguistic background. Bhashini's capabilities include translating audio and text queries, allowing users to interact seamlessly in their preferred language. It is a significant step towards making the PM-KISAN AI chatbot inclusive and user-friendly for a diverse population.

Tell us about your experience while presenting at GPAI-2023 in Delhi.

GPAI is a great platform to showcase AI products and to learn from each other. Thank you for allowing me to interact with you; I am excited to share my experience and learning during the development of the Kisan-eMitra Chatbot. 

Presenting at GPAI-2023 in Delhi was a rewarding experience. It provided a platform to showcase the advancements and impact of the PM-KISAN AI chatbot in agricultural welfare. It was an excellent opportunity to share insights into the challenges faced by farmers and how AI technology is being harnessed to address these challenges.

The event facilitated valuable interactions with experts, policymakers, and fellow AI enthusiasts. Witnessing the collective commitment towards leveraging AI to improve society was inspiring. The feedback received during the presentation has been instrumental in refining our approach and further enhancing the capabilities of the PM-KISAN AI chatbot.

What is your area of expertise in AI, and what made you choose it?

My primary expertise in AI lies in natural language processing (NLP) and conversational AI. NLP technologies, such as those used in the PM-KISAN AI chatbot, can bridge the gap between technology and users, making information more readily available and easily understandable with effective communication and accessibility. 

The application of AI in agriculture aligns with my passion for using technology to address societal challenges. The opportunity to contribute to projects like the PM-KISAN AI chatbot, where AI directly impacts the lives of farmers, motivates me to continue exploring and expanding my expertise in this field.