Botim Integrates Microsoft AI to Transform into a Voice-Driven Fintech Platform

Editorial Team

Last updated 21-01-2026

3 min

Botim adds “real-time, speech-to-speech” AI after integrating Microsoft Azure’s Voice Live API.

Voice commands enable transfers, calls and service requests, cutting friction for less tech-savvy users.

The rollout supports Astra Tech’s push to make botim a “fintech-first, AI-native” platform.

Early adoption in MENA aligns with surging UAE fintech and AI growth.

Success will hinge on trust, especially for “sensitive actions like transfers.

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Botim has quietly taken another step towards blending everyday communication with financial services, rolling out a deeper layer of voice-based AI after integrating Microsoft Azure’s Voice Live API. The update plugs into Microsoft’s wider partnership with G42 and sits neatly within Astra Tech’s ambition to turn botim from a familiar calling app into a fintech-first, AI-native platform.

The idea is pretty simple, and honestly, spot on. Instead of tapping through menus or wrestling with settings, users can interact with botim’s AI assistant through real-time, speech-to-speech conversations. Low latency is the key phrase here: replies come fast enough to feel natural, not that awkward pause where you wonder if the app has frozen. Tasks such as money transfers, starting calls or handling service requests can now be done by just speaking, which could be a game-changer for users with limited digital skills or language barriers.

I’ve seen firsthand, through Arageek’s community events over the years, how many founders obsess over shiny features while overlooking usability. Voice, when done well, removes a lot of friction. And believe it or not, that’s where this integration feels different. Botim is among the early adopters of Azure’s Voice Live API in the MENA region, pulling the tech out of the lab and into a product already used by millions.

The timing also makes sense. AI adoption in finance across the UAE is accelerating fast, with the market expected to grow sharply over the next decade. Fintech more broadly is on a similar curve, heading towards a multibillion-dollar valuation by the end of the decade. Against that backdrop, adding conversational AI isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s becoming table stakes, whether we like it or not.

“Our early adoption of Microsoft’s Voice Live API reflects our commitment to lead with purpose, through the integration of meaningful AI into people’s everyday lives,” said Sacha Haider, Chief Strategy Officer at Astra Tech | botim. He pointed to the trust botim has built as a VoIP platform and how that foundation now supports its move into financial services, with a stronger focus on inclusion and accessibility.

That said, I’m not a fan of apps trying to do everything under the sun. It can become a bit of a faff if the experience isn’t carefully designed. But consolidating communication and basic financial tools into one trusted app does feel like a sensible bet, especially in markets where simplicity often wins. The multilingual element is also crucial; voice assistants that only work well in one language are, frankly, missing the point.

Botim today serves more than 150 million users across 155 countries, with over 8.5 million in the UAE alone. Backed by Astra Tech within the G42 ecosystem, it’s now leaning hard into embedded payments, personal finance tools and AI-driven features, all wrapped inside a platform people already open daily. I reckon the real test will be whether users trust voice commands for sensitive actions like transfers, but the direction of travel is definately clear.

As the integration goes live, botim is betting that talking to your app will soon feel as normal as typing. On the flip side, if it stumbles, users will drop it faster than yesterday’s startup buzzword. For now, though, this looks like a smart, human-centred use of AI, and one worth keeping an eye on.

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