Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving from experimentation to large-scale implementation across the global energy industry, with 62 per cent of energy leaders now ranking the technology among their top two corporate priorities, up from 42 per cent in 2025, according to a new report by ADNOC, XRG and Microsoft.
The third annual Powering Possible report, titled Energy Resilience in the Intelligence Era, highlights growing investment in AI and its expanding role in improving energy reliability, operational efficiency and supply resilience.
The findings, based on a survey of nearly 400 senior energy and finance leaders, show that 89 per cent of respondents increased their AI spending over the past year. Meanwhile, 63 per cent expect returns from existing AI investments to cover or exceed their costs.
The shift towards implementation is also reflected in the adoption of agentic AI. The proportion of organisations deploying integrated agentic AI workflows more than doubled from 15 per cent to 33 per cent over the past year, while the share still piloting isolated applications declined from 35 per cent to 15 per cent.
Additionally, 60 per cent of energy-industry respondents said they were already piloting or deploying autonomous and robotic systems in physical operations, including infrastructure inspections and hazardous tasks.
Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO and Executive Chairman of XRG, said AI was creating opportunities for the energy industry to generate greater value while strengthening resilience, safety and reliability.
At ADNOC, he said, AI, robotics and advanced technologies were being embedded across operations to optimise production and improve performance.
Energy reliability emerges as a key measure of AI value
The report found that the perceived value of AI in the energy sector is expanding beyond cost savings and productivity gains towards supply stability and reliability.
The share of respondents identifying supply stability and reliability as AI's leading contribution rose from 26 per cent in 2025 to 39 per cent in 2026. By comparison, the proportion citing cost savings as the primary benefit declined from 19 per cent to 13 per cent.
This shift comes as 86 per cent of energy leaders said global energy supply had become more complex and harder to predict over the past five years.
Meanwhile, 57 per cent identified the optimisation of power flows, dispatch and balancing as the area where AI could make the greatest contribution to the energy transition.
AI-driven energy demand raises infrastructure concerns
Despite growing confidence in AI's potential, the report highlighted concerns about the infrastructure needed to support its expansion.
Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of respondents expect AI to increase energy consumption by 2030. However, only 52 per cent are confident that existing infrastructure can meet the additional electricity demand.
Grid modernisation and smart-grid technologies emerged as the leading investment priorities, cited by 67 per cent of respondents, followed by energy storage at 42 per cent.
Confidence in existing infrastructure varied across markets. While 74 per cent of energy leaders in Brazil and 70 per cent in India believed current infrastructure could meet AI-driven demand, the corresponding figures were 40 per cent in the United States and 38 per cent in the United Kingdom.
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said the growing adoption of AI needed to be accompanied by governance, accountability and sustained investment in people and skills.
He added that innovation at scale must be matched by responsibility, particularly in the energy sector, where reliability and security remain fundamental.
The report emphasised the need for coordinated investment in energy and digital infrastructure, alongside stronger cybersecurity, trusted AI-ready data, common standards, governance frameworks and workforce capabilities.
Powering Possible 2026 is being published ahead of the fourth ENACT Majlis in Abu Dhabi, which will bring together leaders from the energy, technology, finance and government sectors to discuss building more resilient and integrated energy systems. The report also precedes ADIPEC 2026, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi from 2 to 5 November.