2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for utilities, oil and gas, chemicals, and metals and mining companies. This sector is under pressure to cut costs, improve safety, and deliver reliability and affordability for the energy and essential commodities the world depends on – all while navigating rapid technological change. The winners will be those that get AI-ready, innovate toward AI in context, secure and govern their information, and simplify IT to drive efficiency. Here are five trends that will define the year ahead.
Trend #1: Getting AI-Ready Starts with Trusted Data
According to Accenture, 74% of executives say AI’s full potential depends on a trusted information foundation for transformation. For energy and resources companies, that foundation begins with technology and services that discover and prepare data, enforce governance, and embed compliance guardrails. Connecting the right data from ERP, EAM, GIS, PI, APM, supply chain, and content systems fuels AI engines with integrations that matter. When data flows securely and seamlessly across applications, organizations can unlock predictive insights, deploy intelligent assistants, and automate manual workflows – without compromising trust. Ensuring safety and compliance should only be at most one question away – and that requires being AI-ready with trusted data.
Trend #2: AI in Context Will Redefine Work to Deliver Essential Commodities
AI won’t replace humans, but humans with AI will replace humans without AI. The same holds true for companies across the energy and resources sector. Those that are AI-ready can start using AI in context – where work happens and creates a competitive advantage. The future isn’t point-and-click through applications and content. Instead, digital workers will converse with data in engineering, projects, operations, maintenance, supply chains, and more. These contexts intersect, so domain-specific AI agents with governance will emerge – not one agent for everything. A unified data governance layer will enable these agents to operate securely and effectively, helping organizations unlock new value across critical business processes whether it’s asset management, procure to pay, customer experience, and so much more with trusted, contextual AI.
Trend #3: Data Sovereignty Drives Secure, Governed, and Compliant AI
Data sovereignty is becoming a strategic imperative for energy and resources companies as AI adoption accelerates. With ransomware attacks in the industrial sector up 46%, organizations must ensure sensitive operational data stays within approved jurisdictions while meeting regional compliance standards. The sovereign cloud market – forecast to grow from $37 billion to $169 billion by 2028 – underscores this shift. Private cloud architectures will enable industrial companies to protect critical information, maintain governance, and scale AI securely without compromising trust or regulatory obligations.
Trend #4: Operational Cost Reductions Become Mission Critical
Brent crude is nearing a five-year low, and utilities face mounting pressure as energy prices rank among customers’ top concerns. Across the sector, CIOs are being asked: How can we significantly cut costs while improving organizational efficiency and enhancing customer (internal and external) experience? CIOs are learning from peers that significant operational savings can be achieved by simplifying IT architectures, eliminating silos, and automating workflows. In 2026, expect cost reduction strategies to accelerate as organizations seek leaner operations and smarter processes to stay competitive in a volatile market.
Trend #5: Excellence Across Projects, Operations, and Safety
In 2026, energy and resources companies will double down on execution excellence. Capital projects must stay on schedule and within budget despite supply chain volatility and labor constraints. Operational excellence will hinge on predictive maintenance, streamlined workflows, and real-time visibility into asset performance. At the same time, health, safety, environment, and quality (HSEQ) programs will require proactive monitoring and rapid response to incidents. The common thread? Trusted information and AI-driven insights that connect engineering, operations, and compliance – delivering safer, more efficient, and more resilient outcomes across the enterprise.
