Schneider Electric concluded its Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa in Abu Dhabi, bringing together more than 2500 attendees, including government leaders, industry analysts, customers, partners, students and media, to examine how the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software is reshaping the region's future. During the summit, the company also launched its UAE Industrial AI Study, highlighting the country's growing leadership in industrial AI adoption and confidence among manufacturers.
Held under the theme 'Advancing Energy Tech to Power Intelligence and Resilience', the two-day summit focused on a growing shift in the energy transition: from decarbonising energy supply to building intelligent, connected and resilient systems capable of supporting AI-driven economic growth.
"We are entering an era in which AI is becoming embedded in the physical economy. AI may be digital, but it runs on electricity and depends on the physical systems beneath it," said Olivier Blum, chief executive officer of Schneider Electric. "As an energy technology partner, we help customers connect energy and operations through data, software, AI and automation, turning intelligence into action to improve performance, resilience and competitiveness."
The summit opened with a keynote address from the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and featured sessions with Schneider Electric executives exploring software-defined energy systems, industrial intelligence, electrification, AI-ready infrastructure and the workforce capabilities needed to support the next generation of growth. A key highlight was the company's newly unveiled 3000 m2 Innovation Hub, showcasing technologies spanning the full infrastructure lifecycle from design and construction through to operation and maintenance.
Coinciding with the summit, Schneider Electric released its 2026 Industrial AI in CPG Study focused on UAE food and beverage manufacturers. The study found that 23% already consider AI a core part of operations, compared with 16,3% globally; and that 59% expect AI to have a transformational impact on their organisations by 2030, compared with 42,2% globally. A total of 38% identify cybersecurity as a top priority as AI deployment expands.
On the sidelines of the summit, the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism and Schneider Electric signed an agreement to launch the NEST Accelerator Programme, a 12-week initiative targeting early-stage startups across the Middle East and Africa working in energy technology, industrial technology and enterprise AI. The programme will be delivered through a third-party accelerator under Schneider Electric's supervision.
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