Format: Zoom Webinar

Introduction

As Europe accelerates its energy transition, artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from experimentation to system-critical deployment. From grid resilience and renewable integration to infrastructure investment and regulatory oversight, AI is increasingly shaping how Europe plans, operates, and finances its energy system. Yet significant questions remain around scale, interoperability, trust, and real-world value creation.

This webinar brings together system-level thinkers, investors, and industry leaders to examine how AI is being applied across Europe’s energy transition today — and what must change to unlock its full potential by 2030. Through strategic keynotes and a multi-stakeholder panel discussion, we will explore the role of AI in strengthening system resilience, managing the growing demands of electrification and data centres, and enabling capital to flow confidently into AI-enabled energy infrastructure.

Designed as a pre-event discussion for AI for Energy Transition Europe 2026, this session offers a forward-looking yet practical perspective on how digital intelligence can move beyond algorithms and pilots to become a core asset in Europe’s low-carbon energy future.

Keynote Summary

María Llaneza (BCG) — “The Intelligent Energy System: AI as Europe’s New Operating Backbone”

• Europe’s energy system has shifted from a linear, centralized model to a complex, distributed, real-time system, requiring new operating capabilities.

• AI is evolving from pilot projects to becoming core infrastructure for grid reliability, forecasting, congestion management, and system coordination.

• Rising volatility, distributed assets (EVs, storage, renewables), and higher reliability expectations are creating decision pressure that legacy operating models cannot manage.

• AI enables a shift from reactive to predictive operations, particularly in grid balancing and portfolio optimization.

• Transformation depends on unified data architecture, real-time visibility, and integrated workflows, not isolated digital tools.

• The future “intelligent utility” will be predictive, adaptive, and AI-augmented, with humans retaining governance and accountability.

Panel Discussion Summary
Energy Digitalization and Capital: Turning Strategy into Reality

• Erik (Moderator) framed the debate around “AI for Energy & Energy for AI – 360°,” asking whether Europe should follow the US or China, and highlighting the strategic question of sovereignty, implementation, and investment readiness. He also raised the idea of the “one-person AI-powered unicorn” potentially challenging incumbents.

• Thomas Harrer (IBM) outlined Europe’s investment in AI factories and gigafactories, stressing sovereign HPC capacity, public–private funding models, and the importance of building scalable infrastructure despite being a few years behind the US.

• Danie de Kock (Kent) emphasised that AI must augment human judgment rather than replace accountability, particularly in safety-critical environments. Trust, governance, and talent development will determine successful adoption.

• David (Nokia) focused on the need for secure, reliable connectivity and distributed AI architectures, suggesting a “constellation” model of interconnected data centers rather than relying solely on single mega-sites.

• Geoffroy Hureau (CEDIGAZ) cautioned against over-prioritizing large language models and the AGI race, advocating instead for industrial AI applications and domain-specific models that align with Europe’s strengths in energy and manufacturing.

• Willem (DevCap) highlighted the scale of capital and power requirements (multi-billion euro investments), noting that AI’s rapid growth is accelerating innovation in grids, storage, co-location, and alternative energy models.

• Overall consensus: Europe must develop a distinct AI pathway, balancing sovereignty, industrial deployment, infrastructure expansion, financing models, and human governance over the next five years.

​​