Top trends and priorities focus on optimising investments and securing operations

We met with 174 energy and utilities executives to understand their top priorities and how they are preparing for and adapting to key trends shaping their organisations. This year, executives are prioritising:

  • Responding to new energy market demands by optimising investments and operations
  • Securing the business through IT/OT cyber security
  • Accelerating modernisation and AI innovations to drive business excellence
IT consultant looking at code on a screen

Clients are rethinking data quality, as they realise its impact on AI.

48%
say improving data quality is the top data strategy improvement initiative over the next 3 years
50%
cite AI as the top innovation priority over the next 3 years
72%
are exploring GenAI, while traditional AI implementations are up

Climate, digital and value chain impacts shape the business

 

  • Climate change grows in importance
    87% cite climate change as a high-impact macro trend shaping their organisation (+5pp year-over-year) 
  • Technology & digital acceleration impact rises
    68% cite technology and digital acceleration as having high impact on their business (+9pp year-over-year)
  • Impact of value chain reconfiguration remains significant 
    >80% of clients cite the impact on their business and the need to evolve 

 

two utilities workers looking at a tablet

What digital leaders do to accelerate results

Organisations generating expected results from their digitisation strategies—the digital leaders—share common attributes that enable them to accelerate outcomes compared others. For example, in energy and utilities, digital leaders:

Gear icon

Are less challenged by
legacy systems

-11pp

vs. industry average

privacy icon

Extend data protection
strategy to ecosystem

+21pp

vs. industry average

computer icon

Have highly agile
business models

+12pp

vs. industry average

pp = percentage points

Recommendations for improving data and operations to drive innovation

1

Adapt to the new energy market with enhanced data strategies, automation and cloud solutions.

2

Improve cultural and organisational alignment in both IT and the business to be able to respond quickly. 

3

Rethink and improve data quality to drive actionable insights and energy transition efforts. 

4

Focus on practical, industry-led applications for AI to improve business outcomes.

5

Secure the business with cyber security to enable safe, secure use of new technologies and AI.

data strategy advisors working at monitors

 

 

At CGI, we help energy and utilities organisations advance their digital transformation
and optimise operations to navigate the energy transition. Learn more about:

 

Energy transition   Artificial intelligence  Cyber security

 

 

Client stories and thought-leadership