Nearly 90% of energy leaders boosted AI spending last year, Adnoc-Microsoft study finds
Companies in the energy sector have increased their spending on artificial intelligence and are starting to see that pay off, although nearly half have concerns about whether existing power infrastructure can handle the extra electricity demand the technology will bring, a survey led by Adnoc has shown. About 89 per cent of energy leaders increased AI spending in the past year and 63 per cent…
Nearly 90% of energy sector executives increased their artificial intelligence (AI) spending last year, according to a survey conducted by Adnoc, Microsoft, and XRG's Powering Possible report. Of the almost 400 senior leaders polled, 63% anticipate their AI investments will cover or surpass costs, while 52% believe existing infrastructure can handle AI-driven electricity demand.
The share of organisations using integrated agentic AI workflows, which can make decisions with minimal human intervention, surged from 15% to 33%. Energy companies are increasingly viewing AI as crucial for production, delivery, and usage, with 62% ranking it among their top two priorities. Grid modernisation and smart-grid technologies are the leading investment priorities to support AI growth, followed by energy storage.
Resilience and modernisation of energy systems have become significant drivers of AI investment, with 39% of respondents citing supply stability and reliability as the most important measure of AI's contribution.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
