Schneider Electric SE is taking advantage of the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos this week to advance its vision of integrating artificial intelligence with energy infrastructure, as rising power demand from data centers forces industries to rethink consumption patterns.
Chief Executive Officer Olivier Blum will lead a delegation to explore what the company calls “energy intelligence,” the convergence of electrification, automation and digitalization across all sectors. The push comes as AI-powered computing puts pressure on the global electricity grid, creating both challenges and business opportunities for energy technology providers.
“AI requires computation, and computation requires energy,” Blum said in a statement. “Customers in every region are facing the same challenge, the same opportunity: using energy efficiently.”
The French industrial giant will collect trophies for two AI applications selected by the Forum's MINDS programme, which highlights deployable artificial intelligence solutions. The EcoStruct Microgrid Advisor and the SnapLogic Touchscreen Room Controller earned recognition in the initiative's first two cohorts, with Blum accepting the awards at a Jan. 20 reception.
Schneider's Wuhan manufacturing facility also achieved designation as a “Lighthouse” factory by the Forum's Global Lighthouse Network, making it one of three sites worldwide honored for workforce development, a newly introduced category. The distinction marks Schneider's ninth Lighthouse recognition and acknowledges the plant's approach to closing the manufacturing skills gap through a people-centered training model.
Beyond corporate accolades, Schneider is positioning itself at the center of cross-industry collaboration on energy efficiency. Frédéric Godemel, executive vice president of energy management, will convene the inaugural gathering of the Bloomberg New Economy Energy Technology Coalition, bringing together C-suite executives to accelerate the adoption of efficiency technologies amid rising electricity consumption.
The alliance represents a strategic bet that industrial coordination rather than individual company initiatives will prove essential as AI proliferation drives unprecedented power requirements. According to International Energy Agency estimates, global data center electricity demand is projected to more than double by 2026.
Schneider is also expanding its social impact footprint through EDGE Transitions, a joint accelerator with Portugal's EDP that will support entrepreneurs providing clean energy access to disadvantaged communities. The partnership, set for announcement on January 21, will provide mentoring, technical validation and capital access to early-stage enterprises.
The move underscores how established industrial players are changing their positions around the energy-AI nexus, seeking to capture value from infrastructure upgrades while addressing sustainability mandates. For Schneider, the Davos platform provides visibility with decision makers navigating similar electrification pressures in the manufacturing, real estate and technology sectors.
