By: Zawya

Schneider Electric,a global energy technology leader, has unveiled new research revealing that nearly 80 percent of Middle East energy sector leaders report advanced operational readiness, highlighting the region’s strong ambition toward autonomous operations.

The Middle East findingsof Schneider Electric’s Autonomous Maturity research indicates a shift in autonomous readiness within the region’s energy sector, with many organisation sclaiming to operate at Level 4 of the ARC Autonomous Operations Maturity Model.

This level reflects selective autonomy, systems functioning independently in specific scenarios with limited human intervention.

This regional advancement stands in contrast to the global energysector, which typically operates at Levels 1 or 2 - characterised by connected systems and visible data, yet still reliant on manual decision-making.

Momentum toward full autonomy in the Middle East is accelerating, with nearly half of energy organisationsaiming to reach Level 5 autonomy within the next five years. In the UAE, this figure rises to 58 per cent - the highest in the region.

Cost efficiency emerged as the top driver for autonomy adoption, with nearly half ofrespondents expecting operating costs to rise without it. Safety and leadership prioritisation ranked lowest, indicating a shift toward business-led innovation rather than compliance-driven transformation.

Top anticipatedbenefits include:

• Improved financial performance
• Enhanced competitiveness
• Smarter, data-driven operations

“Autonomous operations are increasingly seen asa strategic enabler across industries, driving gains in efficiency,scalability, and resilience,” said Devan Pillay, President Heavy Industries at Schneider Electric. “In the energy sector, where safety, reliability, and sustainability are critical, autonomous systems can monitor and respond in realtime, reduce manual intervention in hazardous environments, and supportsmarter, data-driven decision-making. Crucially, they also support both onshore and remote operations, reducing offsite travel and improving work-life balance.”

Gaurav Sharma,Independent Energy Market Analyst, who provided insights to the research, commented: “As global energy systems evolve,autonomy is key to optimising resources, minimising downtime, and advancingenvironmental goals. SchneiderElectric's research reinforces that organisations and regions embracinghigher autonomy levels are better positioned to innovate, cut costs, and stay competitive.Crucially, the report signals astrategic shift: autonomous solutions that boost efficiency and reduceemissions are now a priority for one of the world's most prominent energy hubs.”

Technology is central to this transformation, withenergy leaders identifying advanced process control, robotics, and digitaltwins as the most critical enablers. Digital twins, in particular, are transformativein offering real-time simulation and seamless integration across oil, gas, andLNG infrastructure, critical as the region positions itself as a global LNGhub.

Powered by automation, software and AI, these technologies are not only optimising performance but also scaling autonomy across complex environments.

Underpinning this shift is open, software-defined automation, which decouples control logic from hardware to software and enablesoperations to move from Level 3, where systems begin to self-optimise, to Level4, where autonomy is embedded across assets with minimal human input.

At thisstage, systems can not only be monitored and reconfigured remotely but alsobegin to exhibit self-healing capabilities, identifying and correcting faultswithout human intervention, driving safer, more resilient operations.

The optimistic outlook outlined in SchneiderElectric’s survey aligns with a recent report which found UAEexecutives among the most confident in AI’s potential, with 72 per centexpressing optimism and over a quarter of the workforce already trained inGenAI tools.

BCG’s AI Maturity Matrix further positions Saudi Arabia and theUAE as “rising contenders”, regions with strong readiness and low exposure todeployment risks, reinforcing the Middle East’s growing leadership in theglobal autonomy landscape.

As a proof point of this momentum, SchneiderElectric has partnered with Adnoc Refining to pilot AI-driven autonomousoperations at its plant in Abu Dhabi.

Harnessing Schneider Electric’sEcoStruxure platform, it enables plant systems to operate with minimal humanintervention.

By applying AI and advanced machine learning, the solution continuouslymonitors, controls, and optimises processes, supporting operators withintelligent recommendations and evolving through continuous learning.

The pilotis expected to deliver measurable benefits, including reduced energyconsumption, lower emissions, and enhanced operational efficiency andperformance.

“The convergence of electrification,automation, and digitalisation is accelerating the shift toward autonomousoperations across the Middle East and Africa,” said Walid Sheta, Middle East& Africa President at Schneider Electric. “With electricity demandprojected to rise by 50 per cent and cooling alone driving over 500 TWh by2035, according to the IEA, autonomous technologies are nolonger optional - they’re essential. From AI-powered data centers to digitaltwins and self-healing grids, these intelligent systems are enabling safer,more resilient, and cost-efficient operations across the region’s energyinfrastructure.” -OGN/TradeArabia News Service