As energy and utility companies work to meet growing demands and at the same time improve efficiency and reduce emissions, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a tool for making that happen. A recent survey found that 92% of Energy & Utilities companies are either already invested in AI or will do so in the next two years.

At this point, there are endless ways for the industry to use AI. Here are some common themes.

Predictive Maintenance

Utility companies are using AI to track, manage, and maintain their assets. By using digital twins and other AI, energy companies can use data to “watch” how their assets are performing, when they might need maintenance, and where efficiencies can be gained. And they can do much of this from afar—without needlessly deploying inspectors and service workers.

Automation

Automation is one of the most poignant benefits of AI. Utilities can use AI to automate everything from energy production and demand prediction to supply chain logistics and inventory management. AI automation is also being used to track emissions data as companies amass data in their journeys toward net-zero goals.

Customer Service

We live in an on-demand world, where customers want what they want when they want it. Instead of relying solely on staffed customer service chat and phone support, many utilities are working to automate customer service to help resolve common requests—like software issues, bill payment, and call routing—while saving the human resources for more complex issues.

There are countless other ways utilities are using AI, and more will continue to emerge in the coming years. Nothing artificial about it.