New Grab AI-powered call service aims to drive convenience for seniors
The AI voice assistant is able to interpret user intent and maintain context, among other intuitive functions, said Grab.
The Singapore ride-hailing platform Grab has unveiled its latest innovation, an AI-powered call service named Grab AI Call-A-Ride (Beta), designed to make booking rides more convenient for senior citizens. The service, available via a dedicated phone line +65 3138 0000, allows users to converse with an artificial intelligence voice assistant to arrange their transport.
Developed in partnership with OpenAI, the voice assistant is powered by OpenAI's Realtime Voice model. Unlike previous call-based services, this AI-driven system can interpret user intent, maintain context, adapt mid-conversation, and finalize bookings, providing a more seamless experience.
Grab's chief product officer, Philipp Kandal, highlighted the service's significance, stating that traditional apps often pose challenges for elderly users, particularly those who struggle with digital interfaces. Grab AI Call-A-Ride (Beta) aims to restore the simplicity of voice-based calls, enhanced by the adaptive reasoning and scalability of conversational AI.
Albert Yip, OpenAI's head of technical success for Asia-Pacific, praised the service, saying it exemplifies how AI can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the users it serves. The AI Call-A-Ride (Beta) underwent a pilot test involving around 1,000 senior citizens of various demographics. The feedback gathered was instrumental in refining the service's speech recognition capabilities and conversation flow.
To accommodate Singlish, the local colloquial English dialect widely used in Singapore, Grab incorporated over 100,000 voice samples donated by locals, enabling the system to understand the nuances of this unique form of English.
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