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From voice search to real-time dubbing, here’s how JioHotstar is using AI to make streaming smarter, faster, and more immersive
As OTT platforms race to personalise content, JioHotstar is leaning on AI to reshape not just what we watch, but how we find it, hear it, and experience it. (Image: News18/File)
As OTT platforms race to personalise content, JioHotstar is leaning on AI to reshape not just what we watch, but how we find it, hear it, and experience it. Speaking at Reliance Industries’ 48th Annual General Meeting on Friday, Reliance Jio Infocomm Chairman Akash Ambani announced a series of upgrades to the platform, positioning it as a deeply localised, AI-powered service aimed at “a billion screens across mobile, TV, and connected devices.”
With over 600 million users and 300 million paying subscribers, JioHotstar has already become the world’s second-largest streaming service, and now, it’s rolling out four major tech features that are designed to make streaming more intuitive, inclusive, and immersive.
Here’s how Riya, Voice Print, JioLenZ, and MaxView 3.0 work.
Riya: The Voice Assistant That Thinks Like You
What it does: Riya is a voice-enabled AI assistant that allows users to search for content simply by speaking — not by typing, tapping, or scrolling.
How it works: Riya uses natural language processing and semantic search models to understand conversational voice inputs. Instead of relying on exact titles or keywords, Riya interprets intent and context. So you can say things like “show me Kohli’s last century,” or “play the episode where the train scene happens,” and it understands what you’re looking for, even across years, seasons, and episodes.
“Riya is built for the way you think and speak,” Akash Ambani said, calling it a solution to the “overwhelming” task of navigating thousands of hours of content. “Just say what you want… and Riya will curate it for you. No more scrolling. No more searching.”
Voice Print: Your Favourite Stars, Now Speaking Your Language
What it does: Voice Print brings AI-based voice cloning and real-time lip sync to OTT content, letting users watch content in their preferred language, but with the original actor’s voice and expressions intact.
How it works: The platform uses AI models trained on an actor’s original voice to generate synthetic speech in any Indian language. This is paired with real-time lip-sync technology that modifies the actor’s on-screen mouth movements to match the translated audio.
Unlike traditional dubbing, where a different voice artist replaces the original and lips don’t match, Voice Print preserves the star’s voice and facial authenticity while localising the audio.
“With the power of AI voice cloning and lip-sync technology, your favourite stars will not just get dubbed, they will speak in your language, in their own voice, with perfect lip-sync on screen,” Ambani said.
JioLenZ: Custom Views, Adaptive Interfaces
What it does: JioLenZ is a visual personalisation feature that gives users one-click control over how content appears on their screen.
How it works: JioLenZ detects user preferences and adjusts the viewing layout accordingly. Want to watch a match with score overlays, switch languages mid-stream, or view commentary tracks as pop-outs? JioLenZ makes these layers dynamic. The interface adapts based on the device in use — mobile, tablet, or smart TV — and allows toggling between different content modules without leaving the screen.
“With JioLenZ, you can explore multiple viewing options that adapt to your personal preferences in a single click,” Ambani said. “It’s your content on your screen, exactly the way you want to see it.”
MaxView 3.0: Mobile-First Cricket That Matches Your Grip
What it does: An updated cricket interface designed for mobile devices, MaxView 3.0 makes it easier to access real-time features without interrupting the stream.
How it works: MaxView 3.0 aligns key features, such as live scorecards, camera angle switches, and instant highlights, to match the way users naturally hold their phones. Everything is swipeable, single-screen, and doesn’t require exiting the video window. The system pre-loads alternate angles and highlight clips in the background to ensure instant responsiveness.
“This cricket viewing experience has been designed around the way you naturally hold your phone,” Ambani explained. “It’s more immersive, more intuitive, and closer to the action than ever before.”
A Billion Screens, One Goal: Seamless Personalisation
These four features are more than just upgrades; they represent a shift in how streaming platforms are thinking about access, inclusivity, and language in India’s crowded OTT market.
Whether it’s discovering content faster, hearing your favourite actor in your mother tongue, toggling visual layers, or catching a wicket from five angles — JioHotstar’s new AI stack is not just offering features. It’s reimagining the entire interface between viewer and video.
And it’s doing it the Indian way, with voice, language, mobile-first design, and tech that feels personal.
Disclaimer: Network18 and TV18 – the companies that operate news18.com – are controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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