Computer, algorithm, AI: the power technologies climbing the sequence

As renewable generation pushes technological development, algorithms are starting to learn that their actions have consequences.

Imagine a world where industrial artificial intelligence (AI) does not revolutionise the world. After years of eager promises and enthused headlines, any artificial intelligence technology that does not completely overhaul workflows seems like an anti-climax.

Since the power industry first heard the promise of AI, that promise has changed. Those in the energy industry – and the population at large – now better understand the technologies surrounding AI, which have started to materialise. Today, industrial sensors connect operators directly to the systems powering society. These create massive amounts of information, known as “big data”, as they work. The world understands the word “algorithm” better than ever before, and the potential benefits and harms of computers executing one programmer’s will.