Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment · 24 February 2026
PhonePe launches AI-powered natural language search for voice and text payments
Exam-focused facts from the 24 February 2026 current affairs briefing.
Key facts
- PhonePe unveiled an AI-powered natural language search feature built with Microsoft Foundry at the AI Impact Summit 2026.
- Users can initiate and complete in-app tasks via voice or text commands such as “Pay Hemanth 20 rupees” or “Recharge FASTag”.
- The feature interprets user intent for payments, purchases, or support and automates navigation within the app.
- Processing follows a hybrid on-device and cloud model that keeps all personal and transactional data within the PhonePe environment.
- Roll-out will occur in phases across India and be accessible through the Global Search Bar, Help Center, and History tab.
- PhonePe also introduced biometric authentication for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions, allowing Android users to approve payments up to ₹5,000 with fingerprint or face ID.