In Russia, Submitting Your Utility Data Is Now as Easy as Sending a Selfie

AI-powered chatbots are turning meter reading into a one-click experience.

In Russia’s Urals region, residents no longer need to fumble through paperwork or log into clunky utility portals to report their energy usage. Instead, they can just snap a photo and let artificial intelligence handle the rest.

A new chatbot—embedded in one of the country’s most popular messaging apps—is streamlining utility data submission for both individuals and businesses. The process is frictionless: users enter their account number, upload a photo of their utility meter, and the AI does the heavy lifting. It reads the digits from the image, converts them into usable data, and asks for a quick confirmation. Once approved, the numbers are instantly sent to the local energy company.

What’s more, the system supports multi-account users and handles tiered metering. For customers with time-of-use meters—those that track energy differently based on when it's consumed—the bot lets them choose the appropriate tariff band with a tap.

It’s another step in Russia’s ongoing push to modernize citizen services with digital tools and AI—one photo at a time.