Beyond the hype: using AI to solve real customer problems

Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities to improve customer experiences, support colleagues and solve problems before they escalate. But at Centrica, the focus isn't on AI for AI's sake. It's about using technology to deliver better outcomes for customers, colleagues and the business. 

As AI continues to dominate headlines, it's easy to focus on the technology itself. Yet, as Murtz Daud, who leads Data, Analytics and AI at Centrica Business, puts it: "Technology isn't even the story. The story is the outcome we create for customers and colleagues." 

That philosophy shapes Centrica's approach to AI. Success starts with understanding the problem first and then applying the right solution. Sometimes that might be AI. Sometimes it might not. 

Building on strong foundations 

For AI to deliver meaningful results, it needs trusted data. 

Good data foundations are built on information that is accurate, secure, well-governed and accessible to the people who need it. Strong foundations help colleagues make better decisions, enable AI solutions to operate reliably at scale and build confidence that recommendations and insights can be trusted. 

As Daud explains: "Successful AI starts with high-quality data. Responsible AI starts with trust. We have clear governance, oversight and controls in place to ensure AI is used safely, securely and transparently. Just as importantly, we believe accountability must always remain with people. AI can support decision-making, but human judgement and responsibility remain at the heart of how we operate.” 

From reacting to preventing 

One of the biggest opportunities AI creates is helping organisations move from reacting to problems to preventing them. 

A good example is Centrica's AI-powered credit risk model, which helps identify customers who may need additional support earlier than traditional approaches. By recognising signals of potential financial hardship sooner, colleagues can intervene earlier and provide more personalised support before challenges escalate. 

Daud explains "Traditionally, customers can become visible only once financial difficulties have already started to emerge. By identifying signals of potential risk earlier, the model creates an opportunity to engage sooner and provide support before challenges escalate, helping customers achieve better outcomes while reducing the likelihood of longer-term issues." 

 The result is a more proactive approach that benefits both customers and the business. 

Helping colleagues focus on what matters 

AI is also making life easier for colleagues by reducing time spent on routine administrative tasks. 

Rather than replacing human expertise, AI enhances it. By putting better insights and information at colleagues' fingertips, it enables them to spend more time solving problems, supporting customers and delivering great experiences. 

Murtz said: "AI is helping colleagues spend less time on routine administrative tasks and more time focused on customers and solving problems. Whether it's summarising information, supporting analysis or helping create first drafts of documents, AI is enabling people to be more productive and focus their energy where it adds the greatest value." 

Looking ahead 

For Daud, the most exciting part of AI's future isn't the technology itself, but what it enables. 

"What excites me most is the opportunity to create better experiences for customers, make life easier for colleagues and solve problems that were previously too complex or time-consuming to tackle." 

But he is equally clear that success won't come from chasing the latest trend. 

"It will come from being disciplined about where we use AI, focusing on real customer and business outcomes rather than getting caught up in the hype." 

Ultimately, AI's success won't be measured by the sophistication of the technology, but by the difference it makes. For customers, that means better support and earlier interventions. For colleagues, it means more time to focus on the work that matters most. And for Centrica, it means using innovation with purpose to create better outcomes for everyone.