UK independent energy retailer OVO has announced a new collaboration with Google Cloud to enhance customer experience by deploying advanced artificial intelligence across its services.
The partnership will combine OVO’s customer-facing energy expertise with Google Cloud’s AI and cloud technologies, including its Gemini models. The companies said the collaboration will accelerate innovation, helping households better understand, manage and reduce their energy use, while improving access to personalised support.
AI will also be used to identify and assist vulnerable customers. Through adaptive learning, OVO will be able to detect indicators such as financial hardship, shifts in energy consumption and individual customer needs, allowing it to proactively offer targeted support to those most at risk.
Maureen Costello, Vice President for UKI and SSA at Google Cloud, said energy use is one of the defining challenges of the current era, adding that technology has a critical role to play in making energy systems work better for people. She said the collaboration with OVO will focus on applying AI in practical ways that improve outcomes, reduce complexity and support a more resilient energy system.
Bronwyn Barnett, Director of Product, AI and Automation at OVO, said the company aims to make energy “cheaper, greener and simpler” for customers. She added that the partnership, underpinned by Kaluza’s energy intelligence platform, will combine OVO’s in-house capabilities with Google Cloud’s AI suite to personalise customer experiences, unlock new efficiencies and strengthen support for households.
