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Trai seeks comments on its consultation paper on regulating converged digital technologies and services
Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday issued the consultation paper on “regulating converged digital technologies and services -enabling the convergence of carriage of broadcasting and telecommunication services.”
Over the period of time, various technological developments in digital markets have resulted in the convergence of devices, services, and networks.
Trai has asked stockholders to submit comments and counter comments on the consultation paper.
The last date for submission of comments is 27 February 2023 and counter comments by 13 March 2023.
The paper examines the challenges posed by converging technologies and seeks the views of the stakeholders on any changes required, if any, in the legal, administrative, and licensing frameworks to deal with them.
The release said, “The convergence of digital and physical products through the use of machine-to-machine (M2M), the internet of things (loT), artificial intelligence and other technologies is paving the way for the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0).”
It further added, “Efficient utilisation of resources, an increased level of competition, more innovative user applications and technological developments are the main drivers of convergence. Convergence has been intensified by the emerging use of digital technologies across the sectors.”
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Schmooze launches AI matchmaker Riya to personalise dating
300,000 users try feature as retention doubles on Gen Z dating app.
MUMBAI: Love might be blind, but now it’s also algorithmically curated and apparently quite chatty. Schmooze has introduced an AI-powered personal matchmaker named Riya, marking its latest push to move beyond swipe-led dating into deeper, personality-driven matchmaking. Unlike traditional matching systems, Riya interacts directly with users through conversations asking about everything from lifestyle and humour to relationship goals and family values. The idea is simple but ambitious: understand users beyond surface-level preferences and recommend matches that actually fit.
The feature builds on a pattern Schmooze had already observed. Its earlier AI tool, People Finder, allowed users to describe their ideal partner in detail and users did exactly that. Requests ranged from “an extrovert who works in tech and likes to cook” to hyper-specific traits, signalling a clear shift towards intent-driven dating.
That insight exposed a gap. While dating apps typically rely on probability-based algorithms, many users already know what they want they just lack a system that can interpret it meaningfully.
Riya attempts to fill that gap using a conversational approach. Instead of rigid inputs, it gathers signals organically sometimes through casual questions about weekend plans or social habits while mapping deeper compatibility markers in the background.
To support this, Schmooze has built its own end-to-end voice AI stack and large language model, rather than relying on third-party systems. The move is aimed at keeping costs in check while handling scale, and ensuring tighter control over user data and privacy.
The early numbers suggest traction. More than 300,000 users have already interacted with Riya, with those users showing 2× higher retention compared to others on the platform. While the system is designed for short interactions, some users are spending up to 40–50 minutes in conversation occasionally even asking for date ideas, prompting the company to add personalised recommendations.
The launch is the latest step in Schmooze’s broader attempt to rethink dating for Gen Z. Founded by Vidya Madhavan and Abhinav Anurag, the platform initially stood out by using memes as a proxy for personality tracking over 3.5 billion meme swipes across its base of more than 5 million users.
In a market dominated by global players like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, Schmooze’s approach signals a shift from visual-first discovery to interaction-led compatibility. And with AI now stepping in as a digital wingman, the dating game may be moving from swipe right to speak right.
