Abu dhabi: ADNOC, Masdar, and XRG convened over 100 global leaders from the energy, technology, investment, and government sectors at the ENACT Majlis in Abu Dhabi to advance integrated solutions for leveraging energy and artificial intelligence (AI) to spur global growth.
According to Emirates News Agency, the ENACT Majlis, hosted by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, focused on creating innovative solutions to maintain secure, accessible, and sustainable energy supplies. These solutions aim to ensure reliable baseload energy to power AI growth and cater to the needs of a burgeoning global population.
Discussions at the event centered on addressing energy demand growth amidst evolving market dynamics and the need for large-scale infrastructure development through integrated approaches. Leaders also considered the skills and pro-growth policies required to attract and derisk the capital essential for meeting the combined AI and energy investment needs.
The ENACT - Energy in Action - Majlis served as a high-level cross-sector think tank, revealing that electricity demand for data centers will quadruple by 2040, rising from 105 to 450GW. Over the same 15-year period, 1.5 billion people will move to cities, leading to the use of an additional 2 billion electric-powered air conditioners. The global airline fleet is expected to double from 25,000 to 50,000 planes. A White Paper outlining the key findings of the majlis will be published later today.
Dr. Al Jaber emphasized that energy and AI have the potential to drive socioeconomic growth, but energy-intensive data centers are competing for energy alongside other demand drivers in a complex world. He highlighted the necessity for investment today to meet future demands and called for collaboration among the energy, tech, and investment sectors with governments.
Previous editions of the ENACT Majlis have focused on connecting energy, technology, policy, and finance to address AI-driven demand and seize opportunities at the energy-AI nexus. The latest majlis follows a joint report by ADNOC and Microsoft titled 'Powering Possible: Unleashing AI for Energy and Energy for AI,' which explores the interplay of AI and energy.
The ENACT Majlis, held under the Chatham House rule to encourage open dialogue, reinforces Abu Dhabi's role in shaping the future of energy, technology, and investment. It took place ahead of ADIPEC, the world's largest energy industry event, scheduled in Abu Dhabi from November 3-6. Participants included prominent figures such as Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft Corporation.