Waiting around for basic utility services to activate is never fun, and Dubai residents just got some real relief. Thanks to DEWA agentic AI, customers can now apply to activate their electricity and water supply in just two minutes, down from around eight minutes previously. This shift toward DEWA agentic AI is a genuinely welcome improvement, and one built on real, measurable results rather than vague promises.
A Much Simpler Activation Process
The redesigned electricity and water activation service, powered by DEWA agentic AI, now requires just three customer inputs, compared with ten previously. The number of steps in the customer journey has also dropped, from nine down to just three. Together, these changes add up to:
- A 75% reduction in the time required to complete the journey
- Round-the-clock availability, any time of day or night
- Far less information customers need to gather and submit
- A noticeably shorter, simpler overall experience
This particular service handles around 210,000 transactions every year, so a change like this genuinely benefits a large number of residents.
Part of a Much Bigger Transformation
This improvement is part of a wider shift, with 16 of DEWA’s 21 services, representing 76 per cent of its total portfolio, enhanced with DEWA agentic AI in less than 90 days. The remaining five services are expected to be completed within the next two months, showing this rollout is fast-moving and thorough.
Faster Responses to Service Requests
Beyond activation services, DEWA has also introduced agentic AI into how it handles electricity and water technical notifications. The AI-enabled system can receive, classify, and verify requests, then coordinate workflows all the way through to resolution.
Previously, case assignment relied on 16 coordinators handling requests manually. Now, this process can run autonomously around the clock, meaning technical notifications are processed and directed continuously, rather than depending on manual assignment during working hours alone.
Dramatically Faster Payment Processing
The transformation also extends into payment reconciliation, which supports 13 DEWA services and processes approximately 13.3 million transactions each year. The new AI-powered system can process and validate data, detect anomalies, manage exceptions, and continuously monitor operations.
The results here are genuinely striking:
- The daily payment reconciliation cycle has dropped from around four hours to just 12 minutes
- This represents a 95% reduction in processing time
- Anomalies and exceptions can now be identified and managed continuously, rather than in periodic batches
While this improvement happens mostly behind the scenes, faster reconciliation strengthens the systems supporting DEWA’s customer-facing services too.
A Long-Term Vision, Not a Sudden Change
DEWA began its AI journey back in 2017, later launching a roadmap aimed at becoming the world’s first AI-native utility. This latest wave of improvements, powered by DEWA agentic AI, reflects years of steady groundwork, rather than a rushed, last-minute upgrade.
According to DEWA, the goal behind this transformation is to deliver real, tangible benefits for customers, employees, and other stakeholders by redesigning services, reducing required inputs, accelerating delivery, and improving both accuracy and efficiency.
This kind of steady progress toward becoming a genuine AI-native utility is exactly what sustainable transformation should look like.
A Leading Example Among Government Entities
This rollout also fits into a larger national push. In April 2026, the UAE announced a target to transform 50 per cent of government sectors, services, and operations within two years using agentic AI models capable of autonomous execution and decision-making.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, shared that the authority is proud to be one of the first government organisations in the UAE to deploy this technology at such an advanced level, marking a shift from AI that simply supports users toward AI capable of autonomously executing tasks and operations from start to finish. He added that DEWA remains committed to delivering sustainable value for everyone involved, through faster, simpler, and more accurate services available around the clock.
Why This Update Deserves Appreciation
This move toward DEWA agentic AI deserves appreciation for several reasons:
- It delivers real, measurable time savings rather than vague promises
- It extends improvements across activation, technical support, and payment processing
- It builds on nearly a decade of consistent, long-term AI investment
- It positions DEWA as an early, genuine example for other government entities to follow
Conclusion
The rollout of DEWA agentic AI is a warm example of technology being used to genuinely simplify everyday life for residents. From faster utility activation to quicker technical support and dramatically speedier payment processing, this transformation reflects years of thoughtful planning finally paying off in ways customers can actually feel.
If your organisation wants guidance on adopting AI to improve customer experience the way DEWA agentic AI has, Horizontal8 is here to help. Reach out to Horizontal8 today, and let’s explore what a smarter, faster process could look like for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does DEWA’s electricity and water activation now take?Â
It now takes just two minutes, down from around eight minutes previously.
How many of DEWA’s services now use agentic AI?Â
16 of DEWA’s 21 services, or 76 per cent of its total portfolio, have been enhanced with agentic AI, with the rest expected within two months.
How has payment reconciliation improved?Â
The daily payment reconciliation cycle has dropped from around four hours to just 12 minutes, a 95 per cent reduction in processing time.
What happens with technical notifications now?Â
An AI-enabled system receives, classifies, and verifies requests, coordinating workflows through to resolution around the clock, without relying on manual assignment.
When did DEWA begin its AI journey?Â
DEWA began its AI journey in 2017 and later launched a roadmap aimed at becoming the world’s first AI-native utility.