HE Dr. Al Jaber giving the opening address at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). (Image source: MASDAR)

At the opening of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2026, HE Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Masdar chairman, hailed a new era of human progress powered by computational power and digital capability, all underpinned by energy

“Artificial intelligence is rewiring every industry, reshaping every sector and resetting expectations for global growth,” HE Dr Al Jaber said. “While the world is changing around us, one constant remains. And that is energy. Every algorithm, every data centre, every breakthrough in advanced technology needs power to drive it. Simply put, there is no artificial intelligence without actual energy.”

“Meeting all this demand responsibly, reliably and affordably means coming to terms with reality,” HE Dr Al Jaber said. “Over 70% of this energy will still come from hydrocarbons.” This should be seen not as a constraint, he told the assembled audience, but rather as a catalyst. “Sustainable progress is not about slowing down growth, it is about designing a better engine.”

The UAE has structured its economy to meet this new reality, HE Dr Al Jaber said, stressing “the world still needs molecules to make electrons. That is why we have always invested in both and fused them into a single integrated system: from the carbon-efficient molecules of ADNOC to the clean gigawatts of Masdar; from the largest solar projects ever built, to the first solar plants that work around the clock; from nuclear energy to custom-tailored wind turbines that work at low speed.”

The UAE also applies technology “system-wide,” HE Dr Al Jaber said. “AI is no longer a tool we add at the margins; it has become the operating system of our industrial strategy. We are embedding AI across our energy and industrial base to optimise every barrel, every megawatt, every production line.”

HE Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the key role played by Masdar in developing renewable energy projects globally and driving renewable energy costs down, revealing that it is now more than two thirds of the way to its target of 100 gigawatts (GW) portfolio capacity. Through long-term partnerships, innovation, and US$45bn in investment, Masdar has contributed to reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and overcoming structural challenges such as intermittency, helping make renewables the cheapest and fastest way to deploy new electricity capacity globally.

HE Dr Al Jaber ended by highlighting the attractions of the UAE as a business destination.

“Bring your ambition, your ideas, your capital and your technology, and put them to work where progress is powered, opportunity is operationalised and partnerships are permanent. The future of sustainable human progress is waiting, and its address is Abu Dhabi.”

ADSW 2026 opened on 13 January under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” convening global leaders to accelerate collaboration across interconnected systems including energy, finance, food, water, and nature. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, ADSW 2026 is hosted by Masdar.

The opening ceremony gathered Heads of State, Ministers, senior government officials, business leaders, investors, and innovators, celebrating landmark achievements to date while mobilising momentum and investment for the critical decade ahead.

The event will examine how AI is reshaping upstream operations and the broader energy value chain. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Energy and technology leaders will convene at the IPTC Summit on AI for the Energy Industry to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping upstream operations and the broader energy value chain

Taking place at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai from 13-14 January 2026 with the theme Transforming Energy Through AI: Innovation, Intelligence, Impact, the event will bring together decision-makers, technologists and domain experts.

Pinar O. Yilmaz, IPTC Summit chair, said, “IPTC is uniquely organised by four professional societies: AAPG, EAGE, SEG & SPE, serving as the only fully integrated major joint event in the Middle East and Asia. We are a vital hub for geoscientists and engineers, fostering collaboration on integrated technical solutions to address the evolving needs of the energy sector while promoting impactful decarbonisation solutions.”

Summit co-chair Abdulkarim AlMaazmi, managing director E&P and CEO of Dragon Oil, said, “The theme reflects our industry’s shift toward smarter, more efficient upstream operations. AI, automation, and digital technologies are transforming subsurface imaging, drilling performance, production optimisation, and safety – IPTC will showcase this impact.”

The two-day programme features two keynote sessions, two executive plenary sessions, four executive panel sessions, 15 technical sessions, dedicated ePoster sessions, and a technology showcase. Senior executives and industry leaders confirmed to participate include Waleed A. Al-Mulhim, senior vice president, Petroleum Engineering and Development, Aramco; Amir Gerges, group chief HSE officer, ADNOC; Steven Deng, president of Oil & Gas Industry, Huawei Technologies; Jose Bayardo, chairman, president and chief executive officer, NOV; Mohd Nazlee Rasol, vice president of Development, Upstream Business, PETRONAS; Thanasit Vichaipairojwong, senior vice president, Digital Technology Center of Excellence Division, PTTEP; Jesus Lamas, president, Middle East and North Africa, SLB; Niall O’Doherty, vice president, Global Industry Strategy, Teradata; and Sophie Zurquiyah, CEO, Viridien, among others.

Umar A. Al Nahdi, IPTC Summit co-chair and director, PE Application Services at Aramco, said, “Attendees will benefit from access to high-level technical content, exposure to emerging technologies, and opportunities to connect with global experts shaping the future of energy. The summit will provide valuable insights, collaboration opportunities, and practical knowledge that participants can apply within their organisations. Ultimately, the Summit aspires to inspire new thinking, strengthen partnerships, and support the development of a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable energy sector.”

The summit will also host the IPTC Excellence Awards, recognising standout technological, sustainability, safety, and leadership achievements across the global energy industry.

The IPTC Summit, the flagship multidisciplinary technical event in the Eastern Hemisphere, is supported by a broad cross-section of the industry. Principal sponsors include Aramco, Dragon Oil, and SLB, with NOV and Saudi Arabian Chevron serving as Diamond Sponsors. Baker Hughes is the Titanium Sponsor, while AMD, ARO, and Viridien are Gold Sponsors. Lane-Link and Quorum Software participate as Associate Sponsors.

For more information, go to www.iptcnet.org.

The experts discussed how rapidly energy data is evolving.

Exploring the concepts of energy market transparency, carbon management, and hydrogen market development, high-level meetings at the International Energy Forum in Riyadh saw senior officials and experts from governments, industry, and international organisations

The experts discussed how rapidly energy data is evolving, backed by dynamic digital solutions delivering timely, consistent, high-quality information. Transparent benchmarks such as JODI's responsibility in reflecting quality data with streamlined reporting holds immense significance in shaping global energy security and sound policy planning. The growing need for transparency across LNG, hydrogen and its derivatives, renewables, carbon management, and critical minerals were also discussed. 

The following day, the IEF and Japan's Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) co-hosted a High-Level Roundtable on Building Carbon Management and Hydrogen Markets. There were exchanges on policy frameworks, investment signals, and cooperation opportunities for scale emerging carbon and hydrogen value chains. 

An inter-secretariat meeting of JODI partner organisations including APEC, GECF, IEA, IEF, OLADE and OPEC led to a forward-looking roadmap to strengthen the global energy-data reporting framework, build institutional capacity, and expand JODI coverage in line with emerging challenges. The outcomes will guide future work programmes and reinforce global transparency efforts that support energy security, affordability, and sustainability.

"By collaborating with JODI organizations and others to improve data quality and availability, align reporting, and build capacity, we strengthen transparency and support better data for better decisions. Through the IEF's neutral and inclusive platform, which gives voice to all, we also act as a catalyst for cooperation in emerging areas such as carbon management and hydrogen markets. This collective effort contributes to more resilient and secure energy pathways," said IEF secretary general, Jassim Alshirawi.

Jesus Hernandez, senior vice president for EMEA at AVEVA, shared a compelling overview of the company’s strategic priorities and technological ambitions during a recent discussion at ADIPEC 2025.

Central to his message was AVEVA’s dedication to harnessing the power of industrial data, striving to “digitalise the whole asset lifecycle,” a process he views as essential for shaping the industry’s future.

Explaining their signature offering, Hernandez said, "One of the key differentiators of CONNECT, AVEVA's industrial data platform is its ability to integrate the whole asset lifecycle." He envisions this integration not merely as a technical feat, but as a means to ensure smoother transitions from “idea to design, build, operate, and optimise,” thus ensuring all stakeholders can capture and share vital information with ease.

Key to AVEVA’s innovation strategy is the digital-twin framework, which Hernandez notes will enable seamless data transfer to the CONNECT industrial intelligence platform in the cloud. This architecture enhances data availability, lowers on-premise infrastructure costs, and supports more accurate, scalable analytics across digital-twin use cases, ultimately allowing decisions to be informed or even automated through AI-driven actions. By providing virtual representations of engineering, operational, and maintenance environments, the approach equips organisations to make faster, better-informed decisions that advance both sustainability and operational performance.

According to Hernandez, “AI is not a plug and play technology. For AI, you need human intervention.” He underscored that building effective AI solutions means drawing on real industrial know-how and collaborating closely with those who intimately understand their assets. “The right skills are not only technological skills,” he said, “but also industrial skills.”

Energy efficiency and intelligent resource management were also in focus. Using data centres as a case in point, Hernandez likened them to factories, rich with opportunities for optimisation. “You have, as well, an opportunity to manage the energy consumption,” he remarked, outlining how AVEVA’s platform not only monitors energy use, but also delivers actionable insights to drive improvements.

Hernandez also highlighted that AVEVA’s solutions are not confined to a single sector, they support industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to metals, from mining operations to environmental initiatives.

Through a blend of technology, human expertise, and a relentless commitment to improvement, Hernandez emphasises that AVEVA’s leadership in the evolving industrial landscape is driven by advanced technology, where the value of data must always be realised with “human intervention” at its core.