Powering resilience: The role of AI and connectivity in the utilities sector’s digital transformation

The utilities sector is heading into one of the most transformative periods in its history. Surging energy demand, driven by AI and exponential data growth, is reshaping the industry’s operating environment. Already, AI’s power requirements are doubling every 100 days, while global data centre energy consumption is forecast to increase by 160% by 2030. If these projections become reality, data centres will double their share of overall global power consumption within the decade.

For utility providers, this surge represents more than just a numerical challenge; it signals a systemic shift in how energy is consumed and delivered. The current strain on infrastructure and resources will require not just incremental improvements, but to rethink how the sector operates. While AI is contributing to this pressure, it is also part of the solution. When combined with rugged computing technologies, AI can revolutionise how field technicians work, enabling faster, smarter and more resilient operations across the energy grid.

The demand dilemma

Rising digitalisation is redefining the way the world consumes power. AI, which requires vast computational resources for training and deployment, continues to add to this pressure with a growth trajectory unlike anything the sector has seen before. Together, these forces are reshaping how energy is generated, distributed and managed, placing immense strain on utility companies and energy grids worldwide.

Traditional operating models are ill-equipped to manage such rapid increases. Outages, grid instability and inefficiencies in energy distribution risk becoming more frequent unless the industry finds new ways of working. Consumers also have the expectation of uninterrupted service, while regulators demand compliance with strict environmental and performance standards.

In this environment, utilities cannot afford to remain reactive. They need to anticipate challenges before they happen, and this is where AI and rugged computing converge.

Turning AI from energy burden to ally

AI is driving much of the demand surge, but it is also one of the most powerful tools available to help utilities companies manage it. The technology’s capacity to process vast amounts of data in real time and generate predictive insights makes it invaluable for grid stability and operational efficiency.

When integrated into rugged computing devices, AI becomes a hands-on tool for technicians, not just a centralised system. Field technicians use AI-enabled devices to identify potential faults before they escalate, analyse smart-meter data to forecast demand spikes, and help streamline workflows on-site. Instead of relying on instructions from a control centre, workers can make informed decisions in real time, reducing delays and improving response times.

In field operations, reliability is critical. Field technicians often work in remote or high-pressure environments, where fast and informed decisions are vital. AI-enabled systems provide the intelligence to make those decisions effectively, delivering predictive insights directly to the field. Rugged computing technologies complement this by ensuring those insights remain accessible and actionable, even in the harshest conditions. The result is a workforce that can operate with the same data-driven precision in the field as in the control centre.

But AI alone cannot deliver transformation in isolation. Its true power emerges when combined with the connectivity and data exchange made possible by IoT and next-generation networks like 5G.

Enabling intelligence through connectivity

The growth of AI is closely linked to other digital technologies that are changing how utilities work. The Internet of Things (IoT) now underpins this shift, linking sensors, meters and field assets that constantly capture data across the grid. This connected infrastructure provides the visibility AI needs to monitor system performance, predict demand changes and optimise energy delivery. At the same time, the rollout of 5G networks is enabling these devices to communicate and process data with far greater speed and reliability. Together, IoT and 5G are creating the conditions for AI to deliver on its promise of faster decision-making, improving grid coordination and supporting the industry’s transition toward more efficient and sustainable energy use.

This connected ecosystem also makes it possible to integrate renewable energy sources more effectively. Smart sensors can track variable inputs from solar and wind generation, while AI analyses this data to balance supply and demand in real time. Connectivity is not only improving operational efficiency but also helping accelerate the transition to cleaner, more sustainable power.

By combining AI, IoT and 5G, utilities can now see and respond to what is happening across their networks in real time. This shift from visibility to action marks the beginning of a new era of operational resilience, where data-driven insights help prevent problems before they occur.

Operational resilience through intelligence

Perhaps the most significant advantage of AI-enabled rugged computing is the shift it brings from reactive to predictive operations. For decades, utilities have been forced into a cycle of responding to outages only after they occur. This reactive model is expensive, disruptive, and increasingly unsustainable as demand accelerates.

With AI-ready rugged devices, that cycle can be broken. Predictive analytics allow utilities to anticipate failures before they happen, preventing downtime altogether. Automated diagnostics reduce the time technicians spend troubleshooting issues in the field, enabling them to focus on delivering solutions. Smart-meter data processed on-site supports more efficient demand management, helping utilities balance loads more effectively across the grid.

The benefits ripple outwards. Faster service restoration and fewer outages lead to greater customer satisfaction and stronger public trust. Lower operating costs free up resources for

infrastructure upgrades and renewable investment. Technicians, equipped with AI-ready rugged devices, can work more effectively, spending less time on paperwork and more on critical repairs. In short, utilities gain the resilience and efficiency needed to meet modern expectations.

Shaping a smarter, more resilient energy future

The utilities sector is entering a period of profound transformation. Driven by rapid digitalisation, exponential data growth and the widespread adoption of AI, the industry faces pressures unlike any it has encountered before. But within these pressures lies opportunity. By integrating AI into rugged computing technologies, utilities can empower their field technicians, streamline operations and build resilience into every aspect of their network. As AI and digital infrastructure mature, the line between energy generation, distribution and management will continue to blur, paving the way for a more intelligent and adaptive energy ecosystem.

AI-ready rugged devices bring intelligence to the edge, turning field workers into proactive problem-solvers armed with real-time insights. They provide the tools utilities companies need to reduce downtime, manage soaring demand more effectively and improve customer service at scale.

The future of utilities will not be defined by energy demand alone but also by how the industry responds to it. With AI and rugged computing working hand in hand, the sector can move beyond simply coping with strain to actively shaping a smarter, more sustainable future.