Intelligent infrastructure firm Itron is using Microsoft Azure OpenAI for its Outcomes suite of products. Users, including electric utilities, can easily access data through this artificial intelligence system using natural language commands, which the companies say increases the intuitiveness of processes.
The integration of OpenAI into Itron’s IEE Meter Data Management (MDM) solution in addition to the UtilityIQ software suite will be Itron Managed Service offerings on Azure and available on Microsoft Commercial Marketplace the second quarter of 2024.
Itron plans to roll this integration out in phases, beginning with its Itron Enterprise Edition (IEE) MDM system, distributed intelligence (DI) applications and Itron’s DataHub platform.
Itron’s DataHub platform will serve as the common access point for all data, including structured and unstructured data from Itron’s portfolio. This will enable various utility departments to browse, learn about and subscribe to raw and enriched metering data, grid data, distributed energy resource (DER) data and more—in a secure user-friendly environment.
Electric utility users will be able to access data and AI analytics that span from DER data to transformer and feeder loading data. Utility users will be able to:
- Get answers to questions, perform tasks and access data across IEE MDM, DI applications and other data available on the Itron DataHub.
- Ask a question or create a chart that requires data from across several departments (e.g., DER holdings, billing data, grid topology data).
- Use natural language prompts to generate reports, charts, graphs and other content from IEE MDM data. For example, a user can ask “show me load anomalies over the past seven days for these addresses or what was the peak energy usage last month? and receive a comprehensive, accurate response.
- Receive suggestions and feedback to improve data quality, accuracy and analysis.
