Energy Transition Talks

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How can energy and utility companies move from AI pilots to scalable, enterprise-wide value?
In this episode of Energy Transition Talks, host Peter Warren speaks with Joyce Solomon, Data Analytics and Data Science Manager for AMI at Southern Company, and Doug Leal, Vice-President, Data Analytics and AI at CGI, about the foundations utilities need to successfully scale artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and data-driven decision-making.
The conversation explores why data quality, business ownership, reusable AI deployment patterns and governance are critical to moving from individual AI use cases to enterprise adoption. The speakers share lessons from Southern Company’s experience using advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) data, AI-assisted data management and Databricks Genie to make trusted data and insights more accessible across the organization.
They also look ahead to multimodal AI and digital twins, and how these technologies could help utilities move toward more advanced decision support for grid operations and the energy transition.
In this episode:
• Data quality before AI scale: Why trusted, high-quality data is a business requirement for utility AI.
• From AI pilots to enterprise adoption: How reusable deployment frameworks, automation and infrastructure can accelerate the journey from the first use case to the next.
• AI governance that builds trust: How utilities can enable experimentation while increasing controls as the business impact and risk of AI decisions increase.
• AMI data and utility operations: How advanced metering data can support billing, customer programs, grid analysis and operational decision-making.
• Databricks Genie and conversational analytics: How employees can ask questions about governed AMI data without relying on a new report or dashboard for every request.
• Multimodal AI and digital twins: What comes next as utilities combine structured data with engineering drawings, GIS information and other operational data to support more prescriptive decision-making.
Featured speakers
Host: Peter Warren
Guest: Joyce Solomon, Southern Company
Guest: Doug Leal, CGI
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Energy Transition Talks:
https://www.cgi.com/en/energy-utilities/energy-transition-talks-podcast-series
CGI Energy & Utilities:
https://www.cgi.com/en/energy-utilities
Follow Energy Transition Talks for conversations about AI in utilities, utility data and analytics, grid modernization, digital transformation, operational AI, energy transition and the future of energy and utility operations.
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How can energy and utility companies move from AI experimentation to real-world, mission-critical value?
In this episode of Energy Transition Talks, host Peter Warren is joined by Peter Barnes, Solution Director for CGI OpenGrid, to explore how generative AI, agentic AI and multimodal AI are transforming utility operations, grid management, asset management and field work.
Drawing on more than 35 years of utility industry experience, Peter Barnes explains why scaling AI across critical infrastructure requires more than powerful technology. Success depends on combining AI innovation with deep utility domain expertise, trusted operational data, security, governance and human oversight.
The conversation explores how utilities can move beyond traditional software interfaces toward natural-language, AI-enabled experiences; connect field teams with operational intelligence from SCADA, ADMS and OMS systems; and use AI agents, smart wearables and mixed reality to make complex information and proven expertise more accessible across the organization.
📌 In this episode:
• From AI pilots to operational value: How utilities can scale AI safely in regulated, mission-critical environments.
• Generative and agentic AI in utilities: How AI agents can simplify workflows, automate repetitive tasks and help employees interact with complex operational systems.
• AI-powered field operations: How multimodal AI, smart wearables and mixed reality can bring real-time information and expert knowledge directly to field teams.
• The headless enterprise experience: Moving beyond forms, screens and tables toward conversational interfaces for inspections, feeder analysis, work orders and other utility workflows.
• AI governance and grounded innovation: Why domain expertise, security, trusted data and governance are essential when applying AI to critical infrastructure.
• Human expertise + AI: How AI can augment utility professionals, accelerate decision-making and make decades of operational knowledge more accessible.
🎙️ Featured speakers
Host: Peter Warren
Guest: Peter Barnes, Solution Director for CGI OpenGrid
🔗 Explore more
Energy Transition Talks podcast series:
https://www.cgi.com/en/energy-utilities/energy-transition-talks-podcast-series
CGI Energy & Utilities:
https://www.cgi.com/en/energy-utilities
Follow Energy Transition Talks on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for more conversations on AI in utilities, grid modernization, energy transition, digital transformation, operational resilience and the future of energy and utility operations.
Visit our  Energy Transition Talks page

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In this episode of Energy Transition Talks, CGI’s Peter Warren speaks with Joyce Solomon, Data Analytics Manager for AMI at Southern Company, and Doug Leal, Vice-President, Data Analytics and AI at CGI, about how utilities can turn trusted, governed data into scalable enterprise AI value.
The conversation explores how Southern Company is using advanced metering infrastructure data, cloud-based architecture, strong data governance and business-led innovation to improve grid operations, customer engagement and AI adoption. Joyce and Doug share real-world examples, including meter-to-transformer validation, revenue recovery, EV charging insights, HVAC efficiency detection and the use of AI-ready data foundations for RAG, large language models and AI agents. 
Listeners will learn why governed data is not a barrier to innovation, but a critical accelerator for trusted analytics, scalable AI and enterprise-wide value creation in the energy and utilities sector.
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How can resilient energy, banking, and telecoms survive the next major disruption? Join CGI experts to explore the "citizen supply chain" and the future of cross-industry resilience.
In this episode of Energy Transition Talks, Peter Warren, Charley Wark, and Andy Schmidt examine the interconnected network of essential services we rely on daily. We discuss why power, payments, connectivity, and trust must recover together when systems fail.
Key Topics Covered:
The Future of Energy: Virtual power plants (VPPs), vehicle-to-grid (V2G) tech, and DERs.
Finance & Tech: Real-time systems, embedded finance, and digital identity.
Strategy: Data sovereignty and coordinated ecosystems for utilities leaders.
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Is regulatory pressure a roadblock or a catalyst for innovation? In this episode, host Peter Warren is joined by CGI's Charley Wark and Andy Schmidt to explore how the energy and utilities sector is turning compliance into a competitive advantage. Drawing insightful parallels with the banking industry, they discuss how a data-driven approach is laying the groundwork for the emerging "citizen supply chain." Tune in to discover how this cross-industry collaboration is reshaping our energy systems for a more resilient, efficient, and connected future.
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