Niki.ai
{{Short description|Artificial intelligence company}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = niki.ai
| logo = Niki.ai-logo.svg
| logo_alt = niki.ai
| founder = {{plainlist|
- Sachin Jaiswal
- Shishir Modi
- Keshav Prawasi
- Nitin Babel
}}
| num_locations_year = 2018
| area_served = India
| num_employees_year = 2018
| former_name = zabbed
| homepage = {{URL|https://niki.ai}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2015|3|1}}
Udaipur, India{{cite web |url=https://niki.ai/about |title=About the company |access-date=5 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106123104/https://niki.ai/about |archive-date=6 November 2016 |url-status=dead }}
| location =
| location_city = Bangalore
| location_country = India
{{coord|12.94318|77.62186|type:landmark_region:IN|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| locations = 1
}}
Niki was an artificial intelligence company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka. It was founded in May 2015{{Cite news|url=http://www.indianweb2.com/2015/07/14/udaipur-based-niki-is-smarter-version-of-siri-for-e-commerce/|title=Udaipur-Based Niki Is Smarter Version Of Siri For E-Commerce|date=14 July 2015|access-date=27 December 2016|via=indianweb2.com}} by IIT Kharagpur graduates Sachin Jaiswal, Keshav Prawasi, Shishir Modi, and Nitin Babel.
The Niki android app was launched for a limited beta in June 2015,{{cite news |last1=Saraswathy |first1=M. |title=Niki.ai: Your order is one chat away |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/niki-ai-your-order-is-one-chat-away-116062000017_1.html |work=www.business-standard.com |date=20 June 2016 |language=en}} then released for public during YourStory's TechSparks 2015, and is a Tech30 company.{{What|date=March 2022}} The company raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding{{Cite news|url=https://inc42.com/flash-feed/niki-ai-funding/|title=Artificial Intelligence Startup Niki.ai Raises Funding From ... - Inc42|date=30 October 2015 |access-date=26 December 2016|via=Inc42}} from Unilazer Ventures,{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/bot-startups-timeline/|title=The Rise Of Bots: A Timeline Of Major VC-Backed Bot Startups - CB Insights|date=2 August 2016 |access-date=2 August 2016|via=CB Insights}} a Mumbai-based VC firm founded by Ronnie Screwvala, in October 2015. This was followed by another seed funding round by Ratan Tata in May 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/276167|title=Chat Bots Charm Ratan Tata, Another AI Startup - Entrepreneur|date=20 May 2016 |access-date=26 December 2016|via=entrepreneur.com}} The company then raised US$2 million in Series A round of funding from SAP.iO, existing investors and some US and German-based investors, among others.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vccircle.com/ratan-tata-backed-ai-startup-niki-ai-raises-2-mn-in-series-a-round/|title=Ratan Tata-backed AI startup Niki.ai raises $2 mn in Series A round|date=2017-06-28|work=VCCircle|access-date=2018-07-10|language=en-US}} Niki.ai shut down in October 2021 as per media reports. Website not working.{{Cite web|last=Upadhyay|first=Harsh|date=2021-11-09|title=Exclusive: Ratan Tata-backed AI chatbot Niki to shut down ops|url=https://entrackr.com/2021/11/exclusive-ratan-tata-backed-ai-chatbot-niki-to-shut-down-ops/|access-date=2021-12-24|website=Entrackr|language=en-US}}
Product
The product is an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot which works as an intelligent personal assistant, named Niki. Leveraging natural language processing and machine learning, Niki presents a chat-based{{Cite web|url=https://alty.co/blog/chat-as-an-app-interface-when-to-consider-it/|title=Chat as an App Interface: When to Consider It|last=Leonid|first=Gorev|access-date=11 January 2017}} natural language user interface to the users where they can interact with Niki in their natural language. Niki understands how users chat in India,{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/suparnadutt/2016/10/04/the-ai-startup-wave-is-hitting-india-and-investors-are-taking-notice/|title=The AI Startup Wave Is Hitting India And Investors Are Taking Notice|last=D'Cunha|first=Suparna Dutt|date=4 October 2016|access-date=11 January 2017|via=Forbes}} deciphers the words, in the context of product/services that they would like to purchase, and comes up with apt recommendations.
Initially, it was only available on the Android platform as a mobile app. The company has expanded its operations to the Facebook Messenger and Apple iOS platforms.{{Cite news|url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/08/25/niki-ais-new-messenger-bot-lets-you-hail-cabs-and-order-snacks-in-india/|title=Niki.ai's new Messenger bot lets you hail cabs and order snacks in India|date=25 August 2016|access-date=11 January 2017|via=Venturebeat}} The company aims to soon be present on more messaging platforms like Slack and WhatsApp.
The company currently provides 20+ services to over 2 million consumers, covering a wide spectrum ranging from utility services like mobile recharge, bill payments, travel services like cabs,{{Cite news|url=https://www.techinasia.com/internet-sucks-in-india-but-ai-chatbot-get-things-done|title=So what if the Internet sucks in India? This AI chatbot gets things done|last=Velayanikal|first=Malavika|date=3 December 2015|access-date=11 January 2017|via=Tech in Asia}} buses, hotels{{Cite news|url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/sme/now-you-can-bookoyo-room-via-niki-bot_7579601.html|title=Now you can book an OYO room via Niki bot|date=5 October 2016|access-date=11 January 2017|via=Moneycontrol.com}} and entertainment services like movies and events. Services such as flights and healthcare are also planned.{{Cite web|title=Niki App Review: The All In One App! - Indian Tech Hunter|date=10 November 2021 |url=https://www.indiantechhunter.in/niki-app-review/|access-date=2021-12-04|language=en-US}}
Partnerships
In September 2017, Infosys Finacle joined with Niki.ai to provide chat-based service to banking customers.{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/ites/infosys-arm-to-offer-chat-based-service-to-banking-customers/articleshow/60753200.cms|title=Infosys arm to offer chat-based service to banking customers|date=2017-09-19|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2017-09-27}}
In August 2017, Niki partnered with LazyPay to enable a 'buy now, pay later' feature for its users.{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/niki-ai-partners-with-lazypay-to-offer-buy-now-pay-later-feature/articleshow/60310670.cms|title=Niki.ai partners with LazyPay to offer 'buy now, pay later' feature|last=Vignesh|first=J.|date=2017-08-31|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2017-09-27}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- [https://blogs.niki.ai/ Blog]
- {{Medium.com|niki.ai|niki.ai}}
- [https://sap.io/ SAP.IO]