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Jaipur-based entrepreneur Sparsh Agrawal, 25, has introduced one of the first speech-to-speech foundational AI models capable of singing, whispering, pausing, and responding with emotional intelligence \u2014 all built without support from big tech or venture capital funding.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Developed under his startup Pixa AI, the model, named Luna AI, processes<\/a> audio directly to produce lifelike speech rather than converting it into text and back. This approach enables faster, more natural, and emotionally aware conversations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n According to Agrawal, Luna\u2019s design allows it to whisper, adjust tone, and even sing, offering an interaction that feels \u201cmore human than machine.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The young founder recently met Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who praised his innovation, along with several industry leaders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sharing the announcement on X, Agrawal wrote: \u201cWhere is India\u2019s AI? Every WhatsApp group, every conference hallway, every founder call asks the same question. Today, we\u2019re sharing the answer. Meet Luna, world\u2019s first speech-to-speech foundational AI model to unify audio, music and speech.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Early benchmark tests indicate that Luna outperforms global systems like OpenAI\u2019s GPT-4 TTS<\/a> and ElevenLabs offering 50% lower latency and more natural-sounding speech.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t have a research lab or a USD 100 million runway,\u201d Agrawal said, highlighting his journey of building Luna with limited resources.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI borrowed GPUs, cloud credits, and even took on credit card debt to build Luna. This is proof that world-class technology can come from India \u2013 built with resourcefulness, not just resources.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Agarwal is an IIT-BHU graduate.<\/a> His other teammates are Nitish Kartik, Apoorv Singh and Pratyush Kumar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Backed by investors including Kunal Shah, Kunal Kapoor, and Nikhil Kamath, Pixa AI aims to make Luna the “voice layer” for global entertainment, wellness, and automotive ecosystems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Early demand has already emerged from automakers, gaming platforms, and consumer AI companies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “While most voice models are built for customer support, Luna is built for emotion,” Agrawal said. “It’s not just about responding — it’s about feeling.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n HCL co-founder Padma Bhushan awardee Ajai Chowdhry posted on X on this achievement. “Sparsh has created an amazing product..India’s first !,” Chowdhry said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sudarshan Kamath, a known figure in voice AI research and founder of smallest.ai, said, “Truly amazing deep tech founders building silently from India!” “We need to back more people like Sparsh who understand how AI works and are willing to think from first principles,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWho is Sparsh Agrawal?<\/h2>\n