Native-language AI gains ground in startup hirings

Multiple language tools give access to a larger talent pool headline

- S SHANTHI

STARTUPS ARE INCREASINGLY turning to native-language artificial intelligence tools to widen their hiring and cut recruitment timelines, particularly for frontline and customer-facing roles where comfort with English has often been a barrier. The shift reflects both the scale of hiring needs in a tight labour market and a growing recognition that language choice can materially affect candidate participation and assessment quality.

Cloud kitchen operator Curefoods began using native-language AI tools for hiring in 2025 after realising that a large share of applicants for roles such as chefs and store operations staff were more comfortable speaking in their native languages. The company now conducts first-level screenings through automated voicebots that interact with candidates in multiple Indian languages, reducing manual effort and shortening time-to-hire.

"We are now able to engage applicants who prefer Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and other regional languages, allowing us to tap into a far broader and more diverse talent pool, especially across tier-2 and tier-3 locations," Richa Batra, group head of HR at Curefoods, told FE. According to the company, automated screening has eased recruiter workload while enabling faster decision-making.