Can Schneider Electric Lead Clean Tech in the AI Era?

Schneider Electric’s CEO has detailed a new direction for the company, positioning it as a leading “energy technology company” to combat the threat AI poses to electrical grids.

Speaking at Schneider Electric's 2025 Innovation Summit in Copenhagen, Olivier Blum warned that global power consumption is on track to increase by 60% in the next 15 years, connecting the rise to the growth of AI automation and connected devices.

Olivier also described energy volatility and price unpredictability as “the new normal”.

"Energy is both the blood of modern life and a bulwark against its greatest threat: climate change," he said.

From equipment manufacturing to a technology ecosystem

This repositioning signals a change from Schneider Electric's established identity as a manufacturer of electrical equipment to that of a wider technology platform provider. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure platform links systems data and people through what Olivier called an “open intelligent IoT-enabled platform”.

According to Olivier Schneider Electric's technology is already in use in more than a million buildings and provides support for 40% of the world's hospitals. In the last year, Schneider Electric filed over 1,400 patent applications with a focus on areas such as liquid cooling for data centres and HVAC systems optimised by AI.

Its SpaceLogic Room Controller utilises embedded AI to lower energy use in buildings, which could turn them from "passive consumers to active energy producers", Olivier suggests.

Scrutinising sustainability and decarbonisation

Schneider Electric has made sustainability a core part of its corporate identity and has been named the world's most sustainable company by Sustainability Magazine, TIME and Statista.

Schneider Electric reports that it has achieved a 75% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2017, and its net zero target has received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative. 

Olivier pointed to two programmes that are aimed at achieving wider decarbonisation: the Zero Carbon Project and Materialise, which engage with suppliers and customers.

Schneider Electric also runs SE Ventures, a venture fund valued at over US$1bn that supports start-ups focused on sustainable innovation. Its partner ecosystem consists of more than a million professionals, including electricians and system integrators who provide Schneider Electric technologies to end users.

Addressing the AI energy paradox

The challenge for Schneider Electric and the wider energy sector is a large one. Companies must support the growth of AI while also decarbonising at a fast enough rate to meet their climate goals.

Schneider Electric’s positioning as an “energy technology” leader instead of just a sustainability advocate could suggest a practical acknowledgement that energy demand will keep on rising.

According to Olivier, grid infrastructure must become “more agile to handle volatility and renewables,” and Schneider Electric's IoT platforms and AI microgrid advisors are there to help balance supply.

Schneider Electric’s two-hundred-year history has seen Schneider Electric consistently adapt to technological changes. This new positioning occurs as electrification gathers pace in transport, heating and industrial processes while renewable energy sources add a new layer of complexity to grid management.

"We can't just react to these changes - we must lead," explains Olivier.

The main question for Schneider Electric and the wider energy transition is whether Schneider Electric's technology can successfully balance the increase in energy demand with the urgent need for decarbonisation.