AI’s transformative affects on the energy sector are no longer theoretical, and businesses are now more concerned with scaling enterprise solutions than bringing concepts to life. With tremendous momentum at their heels, how can energy, technology, and policy leaders work together to open the floodgates of innovation? We partnered with ADNOC and Microsoft on their 2025 Powering Possible report, uncovering both important opportunities and barriers to smart, efficient AI deployment.
Our Approach
We surveyed 850 energy business decision-makers and leaders across the world to develop a pulse of emerging trends and rising concerns. Then, we complemented this approach with in-depth interviews of more than a dozen global sector leaders in energy, tech, finance, and public policy. These hour-long conversations provided essential color and perspective to the quantitative results.
Key Findings
- Collaboration between energy and technology sectors is critical.
- In the words of one of our in-depth interview participants, the focus has shifted from “exploration” to “execution.” This policy saw 2025 as a crucial test of whether infrastructure reality can measure up to AI’s lofty ambitions.
- Companies are eager to invest, but aware of limiting factors.
- Companies are allocating more and more investment to AI, especially in AI-based energy opportunities. At the same time, they’re becoming more aware of energy constrains and permitting hurdles.
- AI’s efficiency continues to increase.
- Optimizing and automating processes is driving sustainable, efficiently-managed energy. Grid modernization, energy storage, and supply of advanced materials will have to keep up with momentum.
- AI is the new standard for emissions management.
- With its ability to provide precise monitoring in real time, using AI to manage emissions just makes sense over manual monitoring.
- Comprehensive policy is needed for AI success.
- While a loose regulatory environment has encouraged AI development, leaders aren’t yet seeing an overall framework that supports the technology while taking into account ethical and environmental concerns.
- The talent gap remains.
- A significant majority of survey respondents (78%) pointed to talent and training as the biggest obstacle to AI adoption. Executives understand the need to skill up their employees, and should make training widely accessible.
- Data quality as a barrier.
- With the initial adoption stage in the rearview, leaders are seeing practical concerns emerge. Chief among them is having good, consistent data that flows across the energy system.
Your Partner for Understanding Complex Audiences
Looking for a partner to illuminate insights from an array of opinions, across complex audiences? Get in touch—we’re here to help.
Check out the full report here.