In the face of rising passenger volumes and evolving traveler expectations, Air India—India’s flagship carrier—has embarked on a bold digital transformation journey powered by Microsoft Azure and Azure OpenAI Service. The goal? To modernize customer support, reduce operational costs, and build a world-class airline with an Indian heart.
The Challenge: Scaling Support Without Scaling Costs
With passenger traffic doubling since 2022, Air India faced mounting pressure to deliver faster, more personalized customer service—without increasing the size of its contact center. Legacy systems and outdated virtual assistants were no longer sufficient.
The Solution: AI.g – A Generative AI-Powered Virtual Assistant
Air India partnered with Microsoft to build AI.g, one of the airline industry’s first generative AI virtual assistants. Powered by Azure OpenAI Service, AI.g handles over 30,000 queries daily across 1,300 topics—from bookings and baggage to lounge access and pet policies.
- 97% of interactions are fully automated, freeing human agents to focus on complex cases
- Nearly 4 million queries managed since launch
- Millions saved annually in support costs
AI.g uses Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and integrates deeply with Air India’s backend systems, ensuring accurate, context-aware responses. It even understands colloquial queries like “Can I bring my Labrador, Max?” and responds with empathy and precision.
Building the AI Stack
Air India’s AI platform includes:
- Azure AI Search, Speech, and Vision
- Azure Cosmos DB for scalable data storage
- Azure SQL & PostgreSQL for analytics
- Azure App Service & API Management for secure deployment
This multi-modal architecture supports not just chat interactions but also voice recognition, document scanning, and real-time contact center analytics.
Impact & Future Vision
Despite doubling its passenger base, Air India has kept contact center volumes steady—thanks to AI.g. The airline is now expanding its AI capabilities to support crew training and enhance operational efficiency.
“We are on a mission to build a world-class airline with an Indian heart. To accomplish that goal, we are becoming an AI-infused company, and our collaboration with Microsoft is making that happen.”
— Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Air India
Air India’s story is a powerful example of how generative AI can drive operational excellence, elevate customer experience, and fuel innovation in traditional industries.
Read the full story on Microsoft’s website:
Air India elevates customer support while saving money with Azure AI
