Unpacking Practical Applications for AI in Utilities with IBM
AI is revealing practical returns in the energy sector, moving beyond initial excitement and hype to offer real-world benefits in areas like grid modernization and decarbonization. Utilities are beginning to see measurable results from AI applications in operations, driving pressures to advance beyond phase one trial projects. The podcast episode discusses potential enhancements and challenges as utilities adopt and scale AI technology.
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Key takeaways
Utilities are realizing significant ROI from AI, surpassing initial pilot project outcomes.
Advanced AI implementations extend beyond basic chatbot functionalities into deeper operational areas.
Smaller utilities like rural co-ops are leading the way in innovative AI applications.
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As the energy sector wrestles with decarbonization and digital transformation, AI in utilities has emerged as a potential game-changer. But while AI has generated excitement for years, real-world ROI has often remained elusive. That gap between hype and value is beginning to close. According to IBM's 2024 Enterprise Generative AI report, 64% of CEOs say they face significant pressure from stakeholders to accelerate generative AI adoption, while many energy leaders acknowledge their organizations are still early in the journey. The industry now faces a pivotal moment to either move beyond pilot projects and unlock measurable results or risk falling behind.
The industry now faces a pivotal moment to either move beyond pilot projects and unlock measurable results or risk falling behind.
So, how are utilities starting to realize actual business value from AI, and what does it take to scale beyond experimentation?
This episode of Pro AV Today, hosted by Ben Thomas, welcomes back Casey Werth, North American Energy & Utilities Leader at IBM. Together, they unpack the changing AI landscape in energy, explore successful early use cases, and explain how utilities—from major players to rural co-ops—can take the next step in digital transformation.
Highlights from the Conversation:
- AI's ROI Moment: After years of experimentation, utilities are demanding proof. From better load forecasting to smarter maintenance, machine learning and language models are now tied to measurable savings—sometimes in the tens of millions.
- Beyond the Chatbot: Many utilities started with low-risk deployments, such as internal search tools or customer-facing chat. However, the most impactful use cases often lie deeper in operations, like field ticketing, failure analysis, and demand response modeling.
- Small Utilities, Big Moves: Rural co-ops like Dairyland Power are proving nimble with AI in utilities, building internal GPTs and blazing trails that some investor-owned utilities haven't yet followed.
Casey Werth is the Global General Manager for the Energy Industry at IBM, where he leads efforts to drive energy transition and decarbonization using AI, automation, and enterprise system optimization. He has spent more than a decade at IBM in global leadership roles focused on cloud strategy, sales, and technology development for the energy and utilities sectors. Werth also serves on the Board of Directors for the GridWise Alliance and is a member of several industry organizations and presents at industry forums, such as EEI, DistribuTECH, Cloud for Utilities and others.
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About the author
Ben Thomas serves as Head of Pro AV at MarketScale, where he leads content and media strategy for the pro AV sector. With over 15 years of award-winning experience across large-scale events, network television, OTT platforms, and podcasting, he has guided major B2B brands including Intel, Sennheiser, Samsung, and Philips to billions of content interactions. He holds a B.A. in Mass Communications and is recognized for his expertise in podcast hosting, public speaking, marketing, and content strategy.
