Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Gupshup introduce virtual assistant

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has partnered with messaging platform Gupshup to introduce a web-based AI virtual assistant, Jagriti, to simplify the process of filing consumer complaints, it said in a press statement on Tuesday. The announcement was made during a press conference attended by Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy.

“The announcement brings grievance redressal to consumers’ fingertips and marks a significant leap forward in empowering consumers across India,” the statement said. "Once consumers authenticate with their mobile number, the virtual assistant’s interactive flow helps them file a complaint in less than a minute,” it added.

The adoption of Generative AI for the consumer complaint filing process is part of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ initiative of NCH 2.0. Besides easier complaint filing, consumers can also track the status of their complaints by sharing their complaint number with the AI assistant, according to the statement.


“With this Gen AI Assistant, we're bringing government services like complaint filing directly to consumers' fingertips, ensuring they can connect, engage, and resolve issues effortlessly. This is a step toward a future where technology strengthens trust in public systems," said Beerud Sheth, founder and chief executive, Gupshup.