AI Saathi: Leveraging Human-Centered AI to Advance Women’s Microenterprise Success and Emotional Well-Being

Women micro entrepreneurs in rural Punjab, Pakistan, operate under informational problems, restricted mobility, and psychosocial strain. Baseline data show that, despite strong economic potential, most lack access to market information, business mentorship, or emotional support. Median revenue is USD 71, yet some entrepreneurs earn over USD 1,000, pointing to information and confidence gaps rather than limited entrepreneurial capacity as the binding constraints.
This pilot proposes AI Saathi (“AI Companion”), a voice-first assistant delivered via WhatsApp in Urdu and Punjabi that integrates business advisory and non-clinical emotional support. The system uses retrieval-augmented generation grounded in a knowledge base co-created with the Punjab Rural Support Program (PRSP), Pakistan’s largest rural development organization. AI Saathi is designed for zero-literacy interaction.
The pilot will enroll 200 PRSP clients, randomly assigned to four groups of 50: (i) AI Saathi with business advisory only, (ii) emotional support only, (iii) the full system combining business advisory and emotional support, and (iv) a control group. Following co-design workshops and usability testing, the study will evaluate impacts on engagement, decisions, profitability, and psychosocial indicators. Results will generate causal evidence and inform a larger randomized controlled trial on whether AI-mediated advisory can increase women’s business performance and economic agency.