Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, September 16, 2026 — As AI, electrification and industrial expansion reshape energy demand across the Middle East and Africa, Schneider Electric today concluded Innovation Summit Middle East & Africa by positioning energy intelligence as the next phase of the energy transition – where infrastructure becomes more connected, resilient and software-defined.
Held at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, the two-day summit convened over 2,500 attendees, including government leaders, industry analysts, customers, partners, students, and media, under the theme ‘Advancing Energy Tech to Power Intelligence and Resilience.’
Industry leaders explored how electrification, AI-ready data centers, cybersecurity, and digital innovation are reshaping energy systems. Day one featured keynotes from H. E. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Schneider Electric CEO Olivier Blum, in the presence of H.E. Marie Audouard, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the UAE. The summit also featured the launch of the Innovation Hub, the Data Cube, and Olivier Blum’s address on “The Era of Intelligence.”
“We’re entering an Era of Intelligence in which AI is becoming embedded in the physical economy. AI may be digital, but it runs on electricity and depends on the physical systems beneath it,” said Olivier Blum, CEO of Schneider Electric. “As an Energy Technology Partner, we help customers connect energy and operations through data, software, AI and automation, turning intelligence into action to improve performance, resilience and competitiveness. The scale of this shift is clear in the Middle East and Africa, where governments and businesses are investing in energy and digital infrastructure to support industrial transformation and long-term growth.”
The summit also featured the release of the company’s 2026 Industrial AI in CPG Study for the UAE, which found that 59% of UAE manufacturers expect transformational AI adoption by 2030, compared with 42.2% globally. Walid Sheta, President, MEA Zone, said, “As our region’s manufacturers move faster and more confidently on industrial AI than anywhere else, it’s our responsibility to make sure that confidence is well-founded. Cybersecurity, resilience, and return on AI investment are the concerns we hear about most often from customers, and rightly so.”
Schneider Electric reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with governments, customers, and partners to accelerate intelligent, resilient energy infrastructure.
*Source: AETOSWire