MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In a collaboration that embraces the belief that “conversation is the new interface,” Rakuten Viber, the leading global platform for private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, has partnered with AI studio Inflection to bring its conversational AI expertise to Viber’s users in the Philippines. Filipino users will have direct access to Pi, enhancing their messaging experience through advanced conversational capabilities.
With a name that stands for personal intelligence, Pi brings an exceptionally empathetic and supportive personality to conversations with users. It is powered by Inflection’s in-house-built Inflection-2.5 large language model, which is competitive with the world’s best foundation models based on key industry benchmarks.
Pi combines world-beating EQ with smart IQ to help users with all their questions. Viber users can ask for advice, up-to-date information, or just chat. Pi will help them organize their thoughts, make clear plans, and act on them whether they’re changing jobs, trying to get healthier, learning a new skill, wanting to know the latest news, or just in the mood for a chat. Pi is available to Viber users around the clock, so they always have a friend to turn to.
Alongside their new personal AI, Pi-inspired stickers will be available to all users on the platform for the next three months. They can be used in both personal conversations with friends and chats with Pi. Users can bring positive messages to their chats with friends through the stickers, featuring expressive, supportive, and friendly lines, like “I can help”, “Let’s talk”, “Hi friend” and even “Love you.”
Rakuten Viber has joined the League of Super Apps, offering its Filipino users an array of versatile services and functions from essential calling and messaging features to entertaining channels like Backstage Pass to an endless collection of stickers, gifs, and chatbots enhancing users’ conversations and empowering business growth, especially for the micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs. The expansion of the AI capabilities on the platform has been an essential component of Viber’s evolution and growth during the past few years, and this coincides with increasing interest in AI among Filipinos, with a LinkedIn survey finding about 70% are keen to learn about AI.
Now, with Inflection, backed by $1.5 billion of investment from major investors including Microsoft, Nvidia, Bill Gates, and Eric Schmidt, the messaging app dares to envision a future where users can leverage the power of artificial intelligence seamlessly and effectively at their fingertips.
“Rakuten Viber has always been committed to democratizing access to powerful and, at the same time, easy-to-use communication capabilities for smartphone users around the world. By welcoming Pi on our platform, we are taking another important step in this journey – to introduce powerful and highly conversational AI assistants to millions of users for the first time in their lives,” commented Atanas Raykov, VP of Global Marketing and Growth at Rakuten Viber.
