From Manual to Automatic:
How Karya is using WhatsApp to reach 99,000+ women, and scale their Digital Work across India
Tripling engagement and improving access to fair digital income through the Chat for Women’s Livelihoods Accelerator
99,710
Users via WhatsApp
88%
First-Time Earners
100%
Improved Skills
20x
Minimum Wage Paid
This case study forms part of the Chat for Women’s Livelihoods (CWL) Accelerator, developed by Turn.io and supported by the Gates Foundation. The accelerator has been created to help social enterprises build chat services using Turn.io’s WhatsApp chatbot builder, and use this to empower women, expanding their work, agency, and incomes, and provide a framework for delivering impactful chat solutions at scale.
About Karya:
AI That Works for Everyone
Karya is using AI to bring accelerated earning and learning opportunities to low-income communities everywhere. For too long, access to economic opportunity has been determined by privilege. Language, gender, geography, and societal norms dictate who gets to participate in the modern economy. Entire communities remain locked out of fair work, not because they lack capability, but because the system was never built for them. Karya is changing that.
Launched in 2021, Karya began with the premise that rural and low-income communities, particularly women, could not only participate in the digital economy but play an active role in shaping the future of AI. Through its inclusive smartphone app, Karya enables workers to earn fair wages, gain digital skills, and access digital opportunities in the global AI data ecosystem.
Launched in 2021, Karya began with the premise that rural and low-income communities, particularly women, could not only participate in the digital economy but play an active role in shaping the future of AI. Through its inclusive smartphone app, Karya enables workers to earn fair wages, gain digital skills, and access digital opportunities in the global AI data ecosystem.
To date, Karya has employed 129,000+ Workers across 28 states in India, as well as select regions of Kenya and Ethiopia, and created more than 120 high-quality, ethically sourced language datasets for AI systems.
"I genuinely feel this is the quickest way to move millions of people out of poverty if done right. This is absolutely a social project. Wealth is power. And we want to redistribute wealth to the communities that have been left behind."
Manu Chopra
Co-Founder & CEO, Karya
The Challenge:
Excluded from the Digital Economy
India's digital economy is growing rapidly, yet millions of low-income women remain excluded from it. Meanwhile, the global AI ecosystem depends heavily on low-paid, invisible data labour. Karya was founded to address this inequity - ensuring that rural and marginalised workers are fairly compensated and recognised as contributors to the digital economy.
Barriers to Economic Participation
Limited digital literacy: among first-time users prevents participation in online work
Cultural restrictions: limit women's mobility and access to traditional employment
Unreliable connectivity: in rural areas creates barriers to digital platforms
Lack of fair, flexible work: that accommodates family responsibilities
Manual WhatsApp groups: limiting consistency and scale of communication
Before the CWL Accelerator, Karya's communication relied on manual WhatsApp groups and human coordinators, which limited consistency and scale. Workers often waited for replies, and onboarding new users required significant time from field teams. The CWL Accelerator enabled Karya to evolve this model - introducing automation through Turn.io to onboard, guide, and support workers directly in WhatsApp.
Theory of Change
Karya's recruits and trains underemployed individuals - primarily women - for AI data work such as transcription, translation, and annotation. In doing so, Karya enables individuals to earn immediate income, develop new digital and professional skills, and gain confidence and financial independence while contributing to the creation of high-quality, ethically sourced AI datasets. These efforts result in improved digital inclusion, economic mobility, and stronger representation in digital workforces. Ultimately, Karya’s impact lies in fostering an inclusive digital labour market where marginalised workers share equitably in the economic value they create - driving systemic change toward fairness and dignity in the future of work.
"Low-income communities are excellent beneficiaries and excellent builders of AI. If we have to build inclusive AI, we have to employ the communities we want to include."
— Manu Chopra
From Inputs to Impact
Inputs
- Digital work opportunities
- Multilingual chat automation
- Training & onboarding support
Activities
Delivering digital literacy, onboarding, task guidance through WhatsApp chatbot, supported by data work assignments
Outputs
- Access to dignified work
- Build foundational digital and professional skills
- Faster, reliable support
Outcomes
- Improved confidence using digital tools
- Higher engagement and task completion
- Increased income
Impact
Higher incomes, gaining agency as trusted providers, uplifting household and community wellbeing.
The organisation recruits and trains underemployed individuals - primarily women - for AI data work such as transcription, translation, and annotation. In doing so, Karya enables individuals to earn immediate income, develop new digital and professional skills, and gain confidence and financial independence while contributing to the creation of high-quality, ethically sourced AI datasets.
The solution
Automation
for dignified
access at scale
for dignified
access at scale
With over 850 million WhatsApp users, India is the world's largest market for the platform. Additionally, 85.5% of households own a smartphone, and there are more than 1.1 billion mobile connections across the country. This ubiquity makes WhatsApp a low-barrier, trusted medium for reaching women who are new to digital work.
During the CWL Accelerator, Karya developed a WhatsApp chat solution built on Turn.io. After deploying the Karya automated chat solution, workers could register, ask questions, and receive instant support via the chatbot. The Karya team also gained valuable insights from users that they could not have predicted throughout the development process, and this feedback became central to shaping the chat solution. The chat solution now efficiently manages FAQs, reminders, and motivational nudges, freeing staff to focus on training and technical improvements.
How It Works
Karya's WhatsApp chatbot is the first point of contact for thousands of workers nationwide:
Registration & Onboarding
A step-by-step guided chat collects user information, confirms eligibility, and introduces Karya's digital work model
Task Support & FAQs
Workers receive automated, multilingual guidance on completing tasks and resolving common issues like login or payment queries
Reminders & Motivation
Automated prompts encourage users to complete tasks, reinforcing engagement and building momentum
Feedback & Escalation
When a query can't be resolved automatically, it's escalated via Turn.io's Helpdesk to Karya's human support team
Key Implementation Features
- Automation & Journeys: Manages onboarding and learning flows
- Dashboard & Analytics: Tracks engagement, identifies drop-offs, and informs iterative improvement
- Helpdesk Integration: Combines automated replies with escalation to live agents
- Multilingual & Voice Support: Uses regional languages and voice-note instructions for accessibility
The chat system now efficiently manages FAQs, reminders, and motivational nudges, freeing staff to focus on training and technical improvements.
The Results:
Transforming Lives Through Dignified Digital Work
Automation via WhatsApp has enabled Karya to dramatically expand its reach and increase its impact, connecting nearly 100,000 users to dignified digital work, faster support, and new income opportunities. By replacing manual WhatsApp groups with a Turn.io-powered chat solution, Karya reduced response times, improved query resolution, and created a smoother user experience. Workers who initially preferred speaking directly with staff soon found the automated system quicker and more reliable.
As a result, engagement and retention rose alongside measurable livelihood gains; 88% of women reported earning an income for the first time, and 100% said they had improved their digital and work-related skills.
As a result, engagement and retention rose alongside measurable livelihood gains; 88% of women reported earning an income for the first time, and 100% said they had improved their digital and work-related skills.
Key Performance Indicators
Users Reached via WhatsApp
99,710
Workers connected through automated WhatsApp support
First-Time Income Earners
88%
Of women reported earning an income for the first time
Skills Improvement
100%
Reported improved digital and work-related skills
Fair Wages
20x
Indian minimum wage paid to workers
Geographic Reach
28
States in India plus Kenya and Ethiopia
AI Datasets Created
120+
High-quality, ethically sourced language datasets
📈
Engagement Transformation
By replacing manual WhatsApp groups with a Turn.io-powered chat solution, Karya reduced response times, improved query resolution, and created a smoother user experience. Workers who initially preferred speaking directly with staff soon found the automated system quicker and more reliable.
💰
Economic Empowerment
88% of women reported earning an income for the first time. For many participants, Karya provided their first opportunity to earn money independently, contributing to household finances and gaining financial agency. With wages at 20x the Indian minimum wage, workers receive dignified compensation for their contributions.
🎓
Digital Skills Development
100% of participants reported improved digital and work-related skills. Beyond immediate income, the platform serves as a gateway to digital inclusion - building foundational skills that open doors to future opportunities in India's growing digital economy.
⚡
Operational Scale
The automated chatbot freed Karya's team from handling repetitive queries manually, allowing them to focus on training, technical improvements, and strategic growth. This efficiency gain was essential for scaling from thousands to nearly 100,000 users.
The Accelerator Journey
Through the accelerator, Karya gained the technical and strategic skills to automate onboarding, FAQs, and user support using Turn.io’s platform.
With coaching in conversation design, multilingual flows, and user testing, Karya built and launched its automated chatbot, transforming how it engaged workers across India. The Turn.io automation, analytics dashboard, and helpdesk enabled faster onboarding, consistent support, and data-driven refinement of user journeys.
With coaching in conversation design, multilingual flows, and user testing, Karya built and launched its automated chatbot, transforming how it engaged workers across India. The Turn.io automation, analytics dashboard, and helpdesk enabled faster onboarding, consistent support, and data-driven refinement of user journeys.
"Introducing users to a completely new service was challenging, but by briefing workers on the chat service and sharing the link in WhatsApp groups, engagement grew steadily."
Safiya Husain
Co-Founder, Karya
Launched automated WhatsApp chatbot
Scaled to 100,000 users
Improved response times & user satisfaction
Enhanced multilingual accessibility
Reached women across diverse regions of India
Built lasting technical and design capacity
Embedded chat automation as core to worker engagement
Challenges & Lessons Learned
Through one-on-one coaching, peer sessions, and technical mentoring during the Accelerator, Karya built capabilities in conversation design, analytics, UX testing, and multilingual content.
However, implementing a new digital service at scale came with both technical and behavioural challenges. These lessons have shaped how Karya continues to design inclusive, worker-centred technology.
However, implementing a new digital service at scale came with both technical and behavioural challenges. These lessons have shaped how Karya continues to design inclusive, worker-centred technology.
📱
Low Digital Literacy
Challenge: First-time users struggled with unfamiliar digital interfaces.
Solution: Introduced multilingual and voice-based guidance to meet users where they are.
💳
Building Payment Trust
Challenge: Workers were sceptical about getting paid for digital work.
Solution: Built credibility through visible, timely payments that demonstrated reliability.
📊
Sustaining Engagement
Challenge: Maintaining user activity beyond initial onboarding.
Solution: Added FAQs, motivational nudges, and tailored reminders to sustain engagement.
🚀
Launch Early, Iterate Fast
Lesson: Real feedback from users drives success. Launching early allowed Karya to learn what users actually needed rather than what they assumed.
🤝
Trust = Technology
Lesson: Trust and clarity are as critical as technology. Users needed to believe the system was legitimate before engaging fully.
👥
Cross-Team Collaboration
Lesson: Collaboration between tech, operations, and support teams ensures scale. No single team could have achieved this alone.
Industry Implications: The Future of Ethical AI
Redefining Data Labour
Karya's model demonstrates that ethical AI development and fair worker compensation are not mutually exclusive. By paying workers 20x the minimum wage and ensuring they retain rights to their data contributions, Karya is establishing a new standard for the AI industry.
WhatsApp as Economic Infrastructure
With 850 million users in India alone, WhatsApp has become essential infrastructure for reaching marginalised communities. Karya's success shows that familiar, trusted platforms can serve as gateways to economic opportunity when combined with thoughtful automation.
Key Insight: The global AI ecosystem depends on data labour - but that labour doesn't have to be exploitative. Karya proves that you can build high-quality AI datasets while treating workers with dignity and paying them fairly.
Scalable Social Impact
The combination of Turn.io's automation capabilities with Karya's mission-driven approach offers a replicable model for social enterprises seeking to scale impact without sacrificing quality or values.
I genuinely feel this is the quickest way to move millions of people out of poverty if done right. This is absolutely a social project. Wealth is power. And we want to redistribute wealth to the communities that have been left behind.
— Manu Chopra, Co-Founder & CEO, Karya
What's Next:
Scaling to Millions
Karya is now embedding chat automation at the core of its digital operations, using WhatsApp not only for onboarding but also for ongoing engagement, support, and learning. Moving forward, Karya plans to:
- Economic Empowerment: Women transitioning from INR 2,662 monthly turnover to running growing businesses with expanded customer bases
- Digital Inclusion: From 56% awareness of digital payments to 98% actively using WhatsApp for business operations
- Gender Equity: Shifting from dependency on male relatives to independent business management
With these next steps, Karya aims to reach millions of marginalised individuals, especially women, and provide equitable access to dignified, fairly paid digital work.
Vision: A future where marginalised workers share equitably in the economic value they create - driving systemic change toward fairness and dignity in the future of work.
Ready to Transform Digital Work Access?
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