Industrial AI: Powering Enterprise Net Zero

Artificial intelligence and sustainability are two of the most significant global trends. As companies strive to meet climate targets, AI is becoming fundamental to achieving decarbonisation at the necessary scale.

A new report from Siemens and Reuters Events, "From Pilots to Performance: How Industrial AI is Helping to Scale Sustainability Impact," surveys 263 senior sustainability professionals to explore how industrial AI is being adopted to meet these goals.

Adopting AI for measurable environmental results

The study reveals organisations are moving beyond AI pilot schemes for sustainability. 63% have progressed to targeted moderate or widespread adoption.

This is yielding measurable results. Nearly two-thirds of these organisations report average energy savings of 23% while 59% have cut carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 24%.

These figures show a marked increase from 2024. Eva Riesenhuber, Global Head of Sustainability at Siemens, notes that the complexity of the energy transition, circularity and societal changes “can only be mastered with AI.”

Energy management and grid optimisation

Energy management is the most developed application for industrial AI, with 65% of organisations using it. Optimising energy consumption is a primary focus for 52% of respondents.

For example, Dutch utility Alliander uses Siemens' Gridscale X software to create a digital twin of its grid. This offers real-time visibility, increasing grid utilisation by up to 30% and enabling more renewable energy integration without physical upgrades.

Similarly, Greenergy Data Centers in Estonia implemented a Siemens cooling optimisation system. Kert Evert, Chief Development Officer, says the system “improved our efficiency by approximately 30% at the push of a button,” adding that it continues to learn and improve over time.

AI integration in product design and circularity

AI is also enabling resource efficiency and the circular economy. The report finds 60% of companies use AI for resource efficiency and 43% for waste management.

Sustainability can also be integrated from the design stage. 63% of organisations now use generative design to optimise products for material efficiency and carbon footprint.

Eryn Devola, Head of Sustainability at Siemens Digital Industries, explains that AI makes sustainable design more practical.

It allows teams to model factors like resource efficiency and carbon footprint and embed them into decision-making, exploring dematerialisation and modularity without adding major effort.

A growing confidence

Confidence in AI's role is growing, with 71% of respondents now expecting a high or medium positive impact from industrial AI in the energy transition, up from 42% in 2024.

Brooke Tvermoes of IBM’s Chief Sustainability Office notes that when AI was used to improve product quality and yield, “we also reduced waste and energy consumption.”

This highlights a holistic approach where decarbonisation and resource efficiency are addressed simultaneously.

As Peter Koerte, Chief Technology Officer at Siemens, concludes: “AI is already transforming how we build and power the world - making it more sustainable every step of the way.”