The World Future Energy Summit 2026 will spotlight artificial intelligence as a transformative force in the clean energy sector. Organizers announced that the event will run from 13–15 January at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026.

They revealed that AI will run across all seven conference tracks. The 2026 edition will also launch the FUSE AI Zone, where more than 40 companies will showcase advanced AI solutions to support clean energy, smart infrastructure, and climate resilience.

Officials reported that the event will feature the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Conference. The forum will explore how AI can be responsibly harnessed to accelerate progress in energy, infrastructure, and smart cities.

The Summit will gather innovators, experts, and policy leaders to examine AI’s predictive power and its ability to optimise clean energy flows. It will address how AI can help low-carbon systems scale effectively.

AI adoption in the Middle East and North Africa is expanding across grid management, sector coupling, and system maintenance. Advances in forecasting and energy storage are also improving performance and enabling more reliable renewable energy delivery. However, questions remain about how to unlock AI’s full potential for future sustainable systems.

Key issues include whether AI can compensate for policy gaps and accelerate innovation for decarbonisation. Experts will also discuss AI’s ability to expand mineralisation for carbon capture.

The Summit will align discussions with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, which aims to increase clean energy to 50 per cent of the energy mix by 2050 and reduce emissions by 70 per cent. AI is expected to play a central role in achieving these targets.

The 2025 AI and Technology Insights Report, developed by the World Future Energy Summit and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week’s Advisory Committee, reported that AI can improve the efficiency and reliability of clean energy and infrastructure networks globally. It stated that smart grid systems can predict and balance supply and demand, integrate renewables, and reduce the need for new power plants. The report added that investment in digital infrastructure and skills is essential for utilities to harness data for optimisation and predictive maintenance.

The 2026 edition will also highlight AI’s role in enhancing building energy efficiency. The World Economic Forum reported that AI tools have already enabled some companies to cut consumption by up to 60 per cent.

Speakers will examine new AI-driven design tools that support energy-, water-, and people-efficient spaces. They will review how smart software can test design options and reduce cost and environmental impact. Additional sessions will address how collaboration and resilient supply chains can support sustainable urban development.

Shyam Parmar, Event Director, said the Summit brings together leading minds to explore how AI can accelerate progress across clean energy and sustainability. He stated that the FUSE AI Zone and AI Conference will foster collaboration and debate on responsible AI deployment.

However, rising AI-related electricity consumption remains a concern. Analysts project demand could grow by up to 50 per cent each year from 2023 to 2030. Data centres could account for more than three per cent of global electricity demand by 2030.

In January 2025, Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company announced the launch of the world’s first round-the-clock giga-scale solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi. The project will deliver up to one gigawatt of baseload renewable power. The Insights Report revealed that such projects could redefine how AI systems are powered by reducing reliance on fossil fuel backup.

The Summit will include a dedicated panel on strategies to realign AI growth with climate goals and reduce its energy footprint.

Mehdi Ajana, Head of Strategy at Nabat, said the event will explore data-driven approaches to improve environmental monitoring, habitat classification, and carbon measurement. He added that responsible AI deployment is essential for achieving measurable climate outcomes.

● Speakers will explore AI’s role in climate systems, biodiversity monitoring, and sustainable innovation.
● Experts will examine how AI can accelerate real progress toward global sustainability goals.

The 2026 edition will also discuss AI applications in healthcare, food security, and weather modelling. A keynote session will highlight Earth Two Climate, G42, and NVIDIA’s new AI-powered weather forecasting system, which can analyse conditions down to a single square metre. The technology is expected to support farmers and planners with more accurate crop and yield forecasting.

While AI has vast potential to cut energy waste, improve health outcomes, and support food systems, the Insights Report noted that clear human-defined goals must guide deployment. It stressed that technology should solve real problems, with strategic oversight and collaboration essential to converting AI innovation into meaningful progress toward a sustainable future.

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