AI in the Future of Energy
The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the industrial and energy sectors is already starting to be seen. Enterprises are using AI to increase efficiency and reduce costs, and conversations about best practices and limitations are shaping the future of its use. A recent survey found that 92% of energy and utilities companies are either already invested in AI or will do so in the next two years.
from Industry wired
AI has a lot of applications in energy production:
Monitoring for unusual emissions and leaks
Optimizing operations
Equipment maintenance and lifecycle management
Safety monitoring
Process automation
Quality control
Forecasting
And many more
Any conversation around AI usually leads to questions about technology taking human jobs. However, so far, the results show that AI and other emerging technologies are helping humans do their work better. The job responsibilities may change—moving to more technical roles—but overall, workers appear to be safer and more productive with the help of technology.
Enterprises are, of course, running into challenges as they try to integrate more AI into their workflows. Data management, workforce expertise, slow pace of change, and other barriers can make the digital transformation process and AI implementation an uphill battle. But early adopters are seeing the benefits.
AI is helping oil and gas companies use their resources more efficiently while also helping sustainable energy projects start, scale, and optimize. Solar and wind farms can be monitored from afar and adjust operations based on AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms.
We’ve seen a lot of conversations around ChatGPT and other consumer-facing AI technologies. Similar conversations about ethics, boundaries, and best practices are happening in the industrial and energy sectors.
AI can help in the energy transition…if we use it intelligently.