ARE YOU PREPARED : A Study of AI Readiness Within The Energy Sector

Sammanfattning

The increasing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digital transformation highlights the need for organizations to assess their AI readiness. Within the energy sector, AI presents opportunities for efficiency improvements, enhanced decision-making, and operational optimization. However, organizations often face challenges in AI integration due to legacy systems, data governance issues, regulatory constraints, and a lack of strategic direction. This study explores AI readiness within a Swedish energy organization by identifying barriers that hinder AI integration. Using Holmström’s AI readiness framework and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, key barriers were categorized into seven areas: implementation, integration, strategy, data governance, competency building, industry collaboration, and external regulation. Findings indicate that the absence of a clear AI strategy, outdated IT infrastructure, fragmented industry collaboration, and evolving regulatory requirements create significant hurdles for AI implementation. Moreover, the study highlights the critical role of data governance in AI readiness, suggesting that it should be a distinct dimension in existing AI readiness frameworks. The research provides practical insights for organizations aiming to improve AI integration by balancing strategic planning with hands-on experimentation, emphasizing the importance of structured data management, and fostering a culture to cultivate AI innovation.