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By Nishang Narayan
Published on August 4, 2024
In a groundbreaking move to elevate guest experiences, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel has partnered with Aiello to introduce the Aiello Voice Assistant (AVA), an advanced AI-powered smart room system. Nestled along the picturesque Singapore River, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel is renowned for its luxurious accommodations, exceptional service, and strong commitment to sustainability. This collaboration marks a significant leap in integrating AI technology into the hotel’s ecosystem, setting a new standard for future-forward hospitality.
The Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel has replaced all guest room telephones with AVA, transforming each room into a connected, smart environment. Guests can now make hands-free calls, communicate with hotel staff, and voice their questions and requests, ensuring prompt and efficient service. For instance, room service can be requested directly through AVA, streamlining operations and enhancing overall efficiency.
Aiello's system also integrates seamlessly with other hotel systems, including the Property Management System (PMS) and the newly defined Hospitality Task Management System (TMS). This integration ensures that guest requests made to AVA are automatically assigned to the appropriate employees and departments, significantly reducing communication costs and optimizing efficiency across the hotel’s front office, guest rooms, and backend operations. Guests can use voice commands to control various room features, including the TV, lights, and air conditioning, or select smart room modes like "Good Morning" and "Good Night" for added convenience and comfort.
"We are excited to introduce AVA at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing guest experiences through innovation," said Mr. Andrew Tan, General Manager of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. "With AVA's integrated IoT capabilities, guests can experience a new level of convenience and personalized service, reflecting our dedication to delivering exceptional hospitality." Aiello's CEO and Co-founder, Mr. Vic Shen, emphasized the transformative impact of AI integration: "Through our partnership with Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Aiello is proud to lead the charge in redefining hospitality with advanced AI technology. By replacing traditional phones with AVA and integrating IoT-connected smart rooms, we aim to set a bold new standard for intuitive guest interactions."
"We are excited to introduce AVA at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing guest experiences through innovation," said Mr. Andrew Tan, General Manager of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. "With AVA's integrated IoT capabilities, guests can experience a new level of convenience and personalized service, reflecting our dedication to delivering exceptional hospitality."
Aiello's CEO and Co-founder, Mr. Vic Shen, emphasized the transformative impact of AI integration: "Through our partnership with Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Aiello is proud to lead the charge in redefining hospitality with advanced AI technology. By replacing traditional phones with AVA and integrating IoT-connected smart rooms, we aim to set a bold new standard for intuitive guest interactions."
This innovative guest interface not only enhances operational efficiency but also elevates the overall guest experience, marking a significant leap forward in hospitality technology.
About Aiello
Aiello is a leading provider of Voice AI in the hospitality industry. Its flagship product, Aiello Voice Assistant, is a multi-award-winning talk & touch voice AI technology solution aimed at streamlining hotel operations, enhancing the guest experience, and generating insights about customer behavior. Since 2019, Aiello Voice Assistant has been deployed in over 100 hotels, encompassing 10,000 rooms, and has answered over 14 million inquiries from 2.5 million end users in Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and English. Learn more at Aiello's official website.
About Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore
An award-winning and sustainable riverside hotel, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city; an ideal one-stop-shop for travelers of all kinds. This picturesque waterfront location along the bank of the Singapore River offers easy accessibility to the business and shopping districts, enabling business and leisure travelers the best of both worlds. Our international awards and accolades include Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Award 2023, Best Convention Hotel Singapore (2019-2020), Best Luxury Hotel Singapore (2018-2019), International Five Star Hotel (2019-2020), NTUC Digital Learning Transformation Award 2018, and BCA Green Mark Platinum 2015-2021 by the Building and Construction Authority. Visit Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel for more information.
About Millennium Hotels and Resorts
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) is the global brand of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited (M&C), a global hotel company which owns, manages, and operates over 145 hotels across some 80 locations. It has several distinct hotel brands, including Grand Millennium, Millennium, M Social, Copthorne, and Kingsgate, throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand, and the United States. Visit Millennium Hotels for more information.
For further information, please contact:
Amy Lai Marketing Manager, Aiello E-mail: amy.lai@aiello.ai
Carolyn Wishnowski Director, Global Branding, Marketing & Loyalty, Millennium Hotels and Resorts Email: Carolyn.Wishnowski@millenniumhotels.com
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By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on August 25, 2026
Zoomcar and Uber have joined hands to make road trip planning easier by bringing self-drive and chauffeur-driven travel options together on the Zoomcar app. Travelers searching for a self-drive car on Zoomcar can now also discover and book Uber Intercity rides if they prefer to travel with a driver. This allows users to compare both options in one place and choose what works best for their journey.
The partnership brings together two different ways to travel across select routes, with options available for both one-way and round trips. It is aimed at travelers who value flexibility, convenience and access over vehicle ownership. The integration is now live in Bengaluru, Delhi NCR and Mumbai, with plans to expand to more cities over time.
Deepankar Tiwari, Chief Executive Officer, Zoomcar Holdings, Inc., said: “Zoomcar is where India’s most intentional travelers come to plan how they move. Some of them want the freedom of a self-drive car. Others, on other days or other trips, want the comfort of being driven. Both needs are valid, and both deserve a world-class experience. By partnering with Uber, we’re making sure that when a Zoomcar user faces that choice, they don’t have to leave our platform to find the answer. That’s what serving the traveler fully looks like.”
Rishant Ghosh, Director of Consumer & Growth, Uber India & South Asia, said: "Uber Intercity has increasingly become the preferred choice for travel across cities, with demand growing across Tier-2 and metro markets alike. We're also seeing more Indians choose road trips for weekend getaways, family visits and holidays. Through this partnership with Zoomcar, we're making Uber Intercity accessible to even more travelers, giving them another convenient way to book reliable, comfortable outstation rides."
The partnership reflects a wider change in how Indian travelers are approaching mobility. Instead of owning a vehicle, more consumers are choosing flexible, on-demand options based on what each journey requires.
For one trip, travelers may prefer the freedom of driving themselves through Zoomcar. On another, they may want to sit back and let an Uber Intercity driver take care of the journey. By bringing these two options together, the partnership gives travelers more flexibility when planning road trips. The same traveler can choose to drive on one journey and be driven on the next, depending on the occasion and their travel needs.
With both options available through the Zoomcar app, the collaboration aims to make road travel more convenient while giving Indian travelers greater choice for weekend getaways, family visits and holidays.
By Hariharan U
Published on August 22, 2026
Indus Towers Limited, in collaboration with the Bharti Airtel Foundation, has strengthened digital learning infrastructure at GC CRPF Guwahati Montessori School in Assam with the installation of two K-YAN digital learning devices.
Located within the CRPF Campus at 9 Mile, Guwahati, the initiative aims to create a more engaging, interactive and future-ready learning environment for students. The intervention is expected to benefit 114 students by providing enhanced access to technology-enabled and experiential learning opportunities.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Ms. Neelam Dhyani, Head, Regional CRPF Family Welfare Association, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The programme also saw the participation of Shri Rajender Gurung, Circle CEO (NESA), Indus Towers Limited, representatives of Bharti Airtel Foundation, CRPF officials, school representatives, teachers and students.
Speaking on the initiative, Ms. Neelam Dhyani highlighted the role of technology in creating more dynamic and enriching learning environments. She said that access to quality education and modern learning tools can help children develop curiosity, improve understanding and engage more actively in the classroom.
Shri Rajender Gurung said that education remains an important enabler of social transformation and that technology can play a significant role in making learning more accessible, engaging and inclusive. He added that the K-YAN devices are expected to support teachers with innovative classroom tools while helping students develop digital skills and confidence for the future.
The initiative is designed to support educators in delivering curriculum content more effectively while encouraging digital literacy, experiential learning and classroom participation. It reflects the shared commitment of Indus Towers, Bharti Airtel Foundation and the CRPF community towards strengthening educational infrastructure and creating future-ready learning environments.
Mr. Sameer Shah, Head, Higher Education and Strategic Relations, Bharti Airtel Foundation, said the Foundation remains focused on enabling equitable access to quality education through innovative and scalable solutions. He noted that technology can make classroom learning more engaging and effective while helping students build competencies required for the future.
The K-YAN platform is an integrated digital classroom solution combining a computer, projector, audio system and interactive learning capabilities in a single portable unit. Its multimedia-based approach enables teachers to create more immersive classroom sessions while giving students greater opportunities to engage with digital content.
The programme concluded with the ceremonial handover of the K-YAN devices, addresses by dignitaries and discussions on the role of technology in improving teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes.
Through the initiative, Indus Towers and Bharti Airtel Foundation continue to support technology-enabled education and contribute towards building more inclusive and future-ready learning environments for students.
Published on August 19, 2026
Uber has announced the launch of Train Ticket Booking on the Uber app in partnership with ixigo, India’s leading AI-native travel platform. The new feature allows riders to book train tickets, check PNR status and manage their first and last-mile travel connections through a single app.
The launch marks another step in Uber’s growing focus on expanding its intercity travel offerings in India. By combining ixigo’s train booking technology with Uber’s mobility services, the partnership aims to make long-distance travel planning easier and more connected for passengers.
Train travel continues to be one of India’s most preferred modes of transportation, with Indian Railways carrying 741 crore passengers in FY2025–26. As online train ticket booking continues to grow, Uber and ixigo are bringing together train reservations and local mobility solutions to offer a smoother travel experience from the starting point to the final destination.
Commenting on the partnership, Arnab Kumar, Director, Business Development, Uber India and South Asia, said, "Train journeys are an integral part of how India travels. For millions of people, the journey starts well before they board the train and continues long after they arrive at their destination. With Train Ticket Booking on the Uber app, riders can now book their train tickets, check their PNR status, and seamlessly connect to and from the railway station, all within a single app. We’re pleased to partner with ixigo to bring together their expertise in train ticketing with Uber’s mobility platform, making the overall travel experience more seamless and convenient for riders.”
Sharing their views on the partnership, Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO and Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO, ixigo, said, “As India's largest OTA in the train category, our focus has always been on making rail travel simpler, more reliable and stress-free. Beyond booking tickets, we've continued to invest in a seamless post-booking experience, better customer support and innovative features that give travellers greater peace of mind throughout their journey. By partnering with Uber, we're extending that experience beyond the train itself, enabling travellers to plan their journey seamlessly from their doorstep to their destination.”
Uber already has a strong presence at railway stations across India, offering dedicated pickup and drop-off zones at locations ranging from Ahmedabad in the West, Secunderabad in the South and Howrah in the East, with more railway stations expected to be added soon.
With the introduction of Train Ticket Booking, Uber is extending its railway station connectivity services to support travellers throughout their entire journey. The company’s multimodal mobility platform now includes Moto, Auto, Cars, Metro, Intercity Cars, Intercity Buses and Train Ticket Booking.
Through this expansion, Uber aims to become a single platform for different travel needs, helping riders move more conveniently across cities and across the country.
● Open the Uber app.● Select ‘Bus & Train’ from the home screen or Services section, then choose train tickets.● Enter the origin, destination and travel date.● Browse available trains and select the preferred option.● Complete the booking through the app.● Access ticket details and check PNR status directly within Uber.● Book an Uber ride to and from the railway station for a seamless travel experience.
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