By: Zawya

The World Future Energy Summit 2026 in Abu Dhabi will spotlight the dual role of artificial intelligence as both a transformative tool for the clean energy sector and a significant consumer of power. Scheduled for January 13-15, the summit will launch a dedicated FUSE AI Zone and an inaugural Artificial Intelligence Conference to explore how AI can be responsibly harnessed.

A key focus will be on AI's potential to optimize energy systems. The event will highlight how AI can help companies reduce energy consumption by up to 60%, manage smart grids to integrate renewables, and accelerate technical breakthroughs in areas like carbon capture. This is seen as vital for supporting regional goals, such as the UAE's aim to have clean energy comprise 50% of its mix by 2050.

Concurrently, the summit will address the growing energy footprint of AI itself, with projections showing AI-related electricity consumption could grow 50% annually through 2030. Discussions will center on strategies to power data centers with clean energy, citing projects like Masdar's giga-scale solar and battery storage initiative in Abu Dhabi as a model for achieving sustainable AI growth.