Kaiyan Yousaf,  Deputy Director of Strategic Partnerships,Viamo

Topic: Ask Viamo Anything: A Voice-First GenAI Solution for the Offline Majority

According to GSMA’s 2025 State of Mobile Internet Connectivity report, 3.4 billion people remain offline, 93% of them in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). At the current pace, it would take 39 years to close this digital divide.

Viamo’s Ask Viamo Anything (AVA) tackles this challenge through a voice-first Generative AI (GenAI) approach that works entirely without smartphones or internet access. Built on Viamo’s IVR platform, AVA lets users ask questions by voice and receive spoken, personalized answers, bridging barriers of literacy, connectivity, and cost.

Piloted in Zambia, AVA increased engagement fivefold and proved especially valuable for women and youth seeking private, trustworthy information on health, education, and agriculture. By combining GenAI accessibility with basic mobile voice technology, Viamo demonstrates that inclusive innovation doesn’t need data or devices—just a voice.