Google Cloud and Imagine Marketing, the parent company of audio and wearables brand boAt, have announced a collaboration to introduce AI-first capabilities across boAt's upcoming "Crest AI" lineup of smart audio products. According to a joint statement released on August 27, 2026, this partnership aims to bring ambient AI computing, natural voice interaction, and productivity tools to mainstream consumer devices in India. The collaboration enables conversational, personalised and voice-driven experiences that push AI innovation and everyday utility to the next level by fusing state-of-the-art technology with highly responsive AI. As reported by the joint statement, boAt CEO Gaurav Nayyar emphasized that integrating Google's Gemini into Crest AI devices represents a significant advancement, moving beyond basic voice assistants to create intelligent conversational agents. The partnership comes as consumer electronics companies increasingly incorporate generative AI and conversational interfaces into connected devices, moving voice technology beyond basic commands towards more context-aware interactions.
The partnership will enable voice-based commands for operating audio devices and address challenges related to India's diverse accents and dialects through the use of Google Cloud infrastructure and the multimodal capabilities of Gemini Live on the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform. At the centre of the offering is Gemini Live, which allows users to have natural, voice-driven conversations with Crest AI-enabled devices rather than responding only to simple commands. This integration introduces specialized modules designed for communication, information retrieval, and daily productivity, with the underlying cloud infrastructure and multimodal processing supporting real-time contextual awareness that allows devices to process complex queries, retain context across exchanges, and adapt to regional linguistic nuances and dialects across the Indian market. The upgraded devices are expected to support a broader range of voice-driven functions, including controlling the device, playing music, answering general queries, translating languages and providing responses to frequently asked questions. The integration leverages Google Cloud's scalable infrastructure to handle low-latency processing required for smooth audio interactions while expanding access to localized AI features for boAt's broad user base in India.
According to the latest announcement, Crest AI devices will feature three key components: Crest Translate, Crest Ask, and seamless Google Workspace integration. Crest Translate offers real-time, two-way language translation, potentially making boAt's audio devices useful for conversations across different languages. Crest Ask provides contextual conversational assistance for questions, learning, ideation and everyday interactions, enabling users to engage in natural, intelligent conversations with their devices. The most significant professional feature is seamless integration with Google Workspace, allowing users to manage Gmail, Google Tasks and Google Calendar through voice commands, with the technology designed to handle complex tasks in real time. Users can say "Help me respond to that email," or "Schedule a meeting for me" through natural conversations, effectively turning boAt's audio products into hands-free productivity tools that extend beyond entertainment and device controls.
The collaboration marks a shift in how consumer audio devices are being positioned, moving beyond their traditional roles as headphones, earbuds or speakers to serve as interfaces for interacting with AI throughout the day. As reported by the joint statement, Google Cloud India Managing Director Sashi Sreedharan highlighted that voice and vernacular are the next frontier for AI in India, with Gemini Live making this possible through Google Cloud's infrastructure. This partnership enables boAt to scale this vision to millions of users across India, leveraging Google Cloud's infrastructure to make advanced AI capabilities accessible to a broader market segment. Sameer Mehta, co-founder and executive director of boAt, emphasized the company's unique opportunity with millions of devices already in people's ears and their ambition to make AI experiences accessible to millions of consumers through affordable devices. The partnership focuses on democratizing generative AI utilities across diverse consumer segments, with the collaboration aimed at making boAt's devices more responsive to voice commands while improving their ability to understand India's diverse accents and dialects.
Sameer Mehta, co-founder and executive director of boAt, stated that "Voice is the most natural way for humans to communicate, and we believe it will also become the most natural way to interact with AI." He highlighted boAt's unique opportunity with millions of devices already in people's ears and their ambition to make AI experiences accessible to millions of consumers through affordable devices. Gaurav Nayyar, CEO of boAt, reinforced the company's mission of making cutting-edge technology accessible to everyone, stating that by integrating Google's Gemini into their Crest AI devices, they are taking a massive leap forward and moving beyond basic voice assistants to create intelligent conversational agents. The leadership team emphasized that this represents their first step in building richer and more capable AI experiences, with plans to continue enhancing the platform as they learn and build. The partnership positions boAt as one of India's foremost wearable brands, with Google Cloud supporting their push to bring cutting-edge AI to consumers through devices that are affordable and integrated into everyday life.
