Energy Execs Rank Artificial Intelligence as the #1 Technology to Impact Their Organization Over the Next 3 Years - Energy Manager Today

According to the "Accenture Technology Vision for Energy 2019" report, the energy industry continues to play catch up with changing consumer expectations and the pace of digital transformation. Technology companies are larger (as measured by market capitalization) and are looking to disrupt all sectors including energy. Accenture says the energy industry will need to defend itself from these disruptors at a time when it is experiencing diminishing returns (despite widespread cost efficiencies) and increasing investor and activist scrutiny. The report argues that a combination of emerging technologies known as "DARQ"--distributed ledger (blockchain), artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR) and quantum computing--will become the foundation for the industry's future. According to Accenture, tomorrow's energy industry leaders are already investing in the digital ecosystems of the future and the next wave of emerging technologies.