How DEWA is using Microsoft Mesh 3D avatars and ChatGPT

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is testing new communications technologies such as Microsoft Mesh 3D avatars and ChatGPT.

In partnership with Microsoft, DEWA is implementing the Mesh 3D avatar facility to facilitate and enhance ‘flexible communication’ between employees.

The 3D Mesh Avatar option, which was formally launched on Teams in March, enables users to create a 3D avatar to use in meetings instead of being on camera or being without a webcam.

DEWA employees can then choose the avatars, which also animate to the Teams emojis, to represent them in virtual meetings.

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HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, says the continuous cooperation between DEWA and Microsoft contributes to expanding the horizons of innovation and leadership, and supports relentless efforts aimed at harnessing the latest technologies to achieve sustainable development and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We spare no effort to consolidate our global competitiveness to develop future business models that enhance the digital economy and provide sustainable solutions to current and future challenges, and ensure extraordinary, seamless and flexible experiences for employees, customers and all stakeholders.”

Tareq Hijazi, Public Sector Director at Microsoft UAE, comments that the company’s research has found that video usage is highly correlated to meeting participation, inclusiveness and effectiveness. However, only about one-third of participants meet with their video on.

“Avatars for Microsoft Teams offer an alternative to the current binary option of video/no video, enabling meeting participants to be more present and engaged in meetings.”

Meanwhile in a utility first, DEWA has been piloting ChatGPT on its website to enhance the capabilities of its chatbot ‘virtual employee’ Rammas since April.

Its introduction forms part of DEWA’s strategy to employ artificial intelligence across all its operations and services

ChatGPT is expected to contribute to enhancing Rammas’s capabilities and to improve its ability to learn, understand, and analyse customer enquiries based on available data and information in order to respond promptly and accurately.

DEWA is now working to enrich other services with ChatGPT.

Since its launch in Q1 of 2017, Rammas is reported to have answered more than seven million enquiries.