Schneider Electric’s two-day Innovation Summit Middle East & Africa closed in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday after drawing more than 2,500 participants to discussions on energy systems, artificial intelligence, industrial software and the infrastructure needed to support faster digital growth.Held at ADNEC on September 15 and 16, the event brought together government representatives, business leaders, analysts, customers, technology partners, students and media under the theme “Advancing Energy Tech to Power Intelligence and Resilience”. Schneider Electric said the programme focused on the convergence of electrification, automation, software, data and AI as power demand rises across the Middle East and Africa.
The summit also featured the release of Schneider Electric’s 2026 Industrial AI in CPG Study for the UAE. The company said the study found that 59 per cent of manufacturers surveyed in the country expect AI adoption to become transformational by 2030, compared with 42.2 per cent globally, indicating stronger confidence among UAE manufacturers in deploying artificial intelligence across industrial operations.
Walid Sheta, Schneider Electric’s president for the Middle East and Africa zone, said manufacturers were moving quickly on industrial AI but cautioned that adoption had to be accompanied by safeguards and measurable business value. He identified cybersecurity, resilience and returns on AI investment as among the principal concerns raised by customers as companies expand the use of connected and intelligent systems.
Chief executive Olivier Blum used his keynote to argue that the spread of AI was increasing the strategic importance of electricity and physical infrastructure. “AI may be digital, but it runs on electricity and depends on the physical systems beneath it,” he said, linking data, software, automation and energy management to improved operational performance and resilience.
The opening day also included a keynote by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, with Marie Audouard, France’s ambassador to the UAE, attending. Discussions covered AI-ready data centres, cybersecurity, digital innovation and the pressure that expanding computing workloads, industrial development and electrification are placing on power systems.
Schneider Electric presented its concept of “energy intelligence” as a shift towards infrastructure that is more connected, software-defined and capable of responding dynamically to changing loads and operating conditions. The company said the approach combines energy and operational data with automation and AI, allowing organisations to identify inefficiencies, manage demand and strengthen system reliability.
The summit’s Innovation Hub showcased applications across data centres, buildings, utilities, factories and other infrastructure. Schneider Electric also displayed a “Data Cube” installation intended to demonstrate how information from physical energy assets can be collected and converted into operational intelligence.
The agenda also included senior Schneider Electric executives responsible for international operations, energy management, process automation and software services, alongside AVEVA chief executive Caspar Herzberg. Sessions examined how industrial software can link plant operations with energy management, while executive discussions addressed the implications of higher electricity demand for competitiveness, investment and continuity of operations. Schneider Electric framed AI-ready infrastructure not only as a computing challenge but also as an energy-management issue, because data centres and increasingly automated industrial sites require dependable electricity, cooling, monitoring and control systems operating together across increasingly complex regional operating environments.
The event took place as electricity consumption and digital infrastructure investment continue to increase across the region. Schneider Electric has argued that growth in cloud computing, AI services, cooling, desalination and industrial activity is raising the need for more efficient and flexible energy systems, particularly where grid capacity and resilience are becoming constraints on expansion.
The company’s broader summit programme has increasingly focused on the relationship between electricity networks and digital technologies, reflecting a shift in the energy transition debate from decarbonising supply alone towards managing complex demand through software, automation and distributed control. Schneider Electric’s Abu Dhabi event placed that argument in the context of Middle East and African markets, where governments are pursuing industrial expansion and large-scale digital infrastructure projects.
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