'Small Talk' AI by Craft Silicon to offer voice-powered financial assistance in local languages

Kenyan tech powerhouse Craft Silicon is set to revolutionize local banking with "Small Talk," its groundbreaking generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.

This made-in-Kenya innovation, a direct competitor to global giants like ChatGPT, Elon Musk's Grok, and Meta's Llama, is uniquely designed to integrate with banking core systems and engage users through voice commands in both English and local languages.

Kamal Budhabhatti, Group CEO of Craft Silicon, unveiled "Small Talk" at the recent 2025 SACCO Summit in Nairobi, emphasizing its distinct voice-first approach. Unlike many existing AI chatbots that rely on text-based queries, "Small Talk" aims to mimic natural human conversation, a move Budhabhatti believes is the future of human-technology interaction.

"Our forecast indicates future interaction with technology is going to be through voice," Budhabhatti stated. "Once you start interacting with technology through voice, you automatically knock down costs such as training, which was common with traditional technology, especially for new products."

"Small Talk" is currently in its pilot phase with select financial institutions. Once fully implemented, it will allow users to simply speak their financial questions into their mobile banking apps. The AI will then provide real-time responses on topics ranging from account balances and savings tips to other personalized financial concerns. This deep understanding of local languages and real-time connection to core banking systems sets it apart.

Craft Silicon has a proven track record of localizing global innovations. The company launched Little Limited, which introduced Little Cab in 2016. This digital taxi service successfully competed with international players like Uber by focusing on corporate clients, offering a "Lady Bug" option with female drivers for safety, and even a USSD option for non-smartphone users.

The SACCO Summit 2025, held under the theme "Insight. Innovation. Connection.," provided a dynamic platform for over 700 C-suite managers from across East Africa to explore digital transformation strategies and innovative financial inclusion tools. Craft Silicon showcased other game-changing platforms tailored for SACCOs, including Spotit, MySalary, and BR.Net Islamic, reinforcing its commitment to empowering cooperative societies through technology.

"Our mission with this summit was clear: to bring together the brightest minds in the SACCO movement and empower them with the tools, insights, and inspiration they need to drive real change," Budhabhatti concluded, highlighting the shared commitment to reimagining SACCOs for the future.