DEWA’s AI Assistant Rammas Handles 2 Million Enquiries in 2024

Dubai’s Utility Giant Moves Forward with Bold Plans to Become First AI-Native Public Utility

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) continues to push technological boundaries, with its AI-powered virtual assistant, Rammas, handling over two million customer inquiries in Arabic and English during 2024 — a 10% increase from the prior year. Since its launch in 2017, Rammas has now processed more than 11.4 million interactions, underlining its role as a cornerstone of DEWA’s digital transformation journey.

Part of an ambitious enterprise-wide campaign to become the world’s first AI-native utility, DEWA has embedded advanced AI features, including ChatGPT capabilities, into Rammas since 2023. Available across multiple channels—from DEWA’s website and mobile app, to platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp Business, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and service robots—Rammas supports users with key services such as EasyPay functions, exclusive offers from the DEWA Store, and detailed information on more than 200 customer-facing and enterprise-level features.

Crucially, DEWA distinguishes itself as not just a tech adopter, but an aggressive AI pioneer. It was the first utility globally—and the first UAE government entity—to integrate generative AI into customer service. This strategic move aligns closely with the UAE National Strategy for AI 2031 and the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence, both of which aim to position the country as a global AI leader.

Earlier this year, the authority expanded its AI commitment by introducing Microsoft Copilot across all departments, extending AI’s reach far beyond customer service to areas such as operations, planning, maintenance, and workforce management. DEWA’s transformation roadmap is being developed in collaboration with top global tech firms, including Microsoft, IBM, ServiceNow, and DataRobot.

The mission is clear: to embed real-time intelligent decision-making into every layer of utility operations. “We are committed to transforming DEWA into an organization natively powered by artificial intelligence,” an official DEWA spokesperson said earlier this year.

With over 11,000 employees, DEWA has managed electricity and water services across Dubai since its establishment in 1992. Its AI transformation is intended not just to boost operational efficiency, but to redefine what a modern utility looks like on a global scale.

Rammas is more than a digital service agent. It is a powerful symbol of DEWA’s proactive embrace of AI to foster efficiency, accuracy, and customer-centricity. By shifting from isolated AI applications to a holistic, integrated approach, the authority is not just evolving—it’s setting the global benchmark for next-generation utilities.

Team V.DIR-EM-UAE