In a move to make banking more inclusive, Bank of Baroda has launched an AI-powered platform that allows customers and branch staff to communicate seamlessly in 22 different Indian languages. The platform, named bob SAMVAD, was unveiled at the bank’s Bandra Kurla Complex office in Mumbai on 28 March 2026.
The launch was formally done by M Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services. bob SAMVAD translates spoken or typed queries instantly, displaying the translated text on screen and offering an optional voice output. This ensures that even if a customer and staff member do not share a common language, communication is smooth and efficient.
The platform solves a key challenge in Indian banking, where regional language barriers often make interactions difficult. For instance, a customer speaking Tamil can have their query instantly translated into Hindi or English for the staff, with the staff’s response converted back into Tamil.
How the platform works
The system captures speech using AI-based speech recognition, translates it with advanced language models, and displays the text to the recipient in their preferred language. Customers who prefer audio can listen to responses through the platform’s text-to-speech feature. The AI operates with low latency, allowing near real-time back-and-forth conversations.
Significantly, the platform was developed entirely in-house by Bank of Baroda’s technology teams without relying on external vendors.
Phased rollout across southern and western India
Bank of Baroda will first introduce bob SAMVAD in 250 branches across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Plans for a wider rollout across the bank’s full branch network are underway.
Debadatta Chand, Managing Director and CEO of Bank of Baroda, said, “With bob SAMVAD, Bank of Baroda is leveraging AI to make our branches more inclusive and customer-friendly by enabling seamless real-time conversations in local languages.”
Nagaraju added, “This initiative sets a benchmark for the banking sector. bob SAMVAD will promote more inclusive and accessible service delivery and help improve customer service at branches.”
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