Schneider Electric, a global key player in energy management and automation, has announced an ambitious multi-year programme aimed at creating an advanced integrated ecosystem for sustainability. This initiative marks a bold step forward in the company’s commitment to innovation, centred around a new generation of software powered by Agentic AI technology.
Agentic AI represents a significant leap from traditional software tools. Unlike conventional programs that assist users in completing tasks, these AI agents operate autonomously or collaboratively with clients and consultants, anticipating needs and adapting dynamically to complex environments in real time. This shift promises to simplify and automate sustainability efforts on an unprecedented scale.
The new ecosystem will function as a central command hub, orchestrating strategy and decision-making by embedding AI agents within adaptive workflows. These agents will work seamlessly alongside human experts and enterprise systems, transforming fragmented sustainability initiatives into a cohesive, intelligent network that continuously optimises performance and drives meaningful environmental impact.
Steve Wilhite, president of Schneider Electric’s sustainability business division, emphasised the transformative potential of this approach: “Our vision is collaborative intelligence – agentic AI that works alongside human experts as a true digital teammate. This technology allows us to create a force multiplier effect where complex data analysis and tasks are automated, freeing our clients to focus on the strategic initiatives and innovations that lead to greater impact – a fundamental shift in how organizations can accelerate on their energy and decarbonization journeys.”
To lead this pioneering effort, Schneider Electric has appointed Julien Picaud as head of product management. Picaud brings extensive experience in digital innovation and AI-driven product strategy, with a focus on enhancing business performance and sustainability outcomes. His leadership will drive the integration of new capabilities from Schneider’s recent acquisition of sustainability consultancy EcoAct, including tools for decarbonisation strategy, scenario analysis, emissions management, climate risk assessment, and more.
The initiative builds on Schneider Electric’s long-standing expertise, having supported thousands of multinational companies worldwide in meeting their energy and sustainability targets. This deep domain knowledge underpins the AI ecosystem, ensuring it is tailored to the complex realities of energy transition and environmental stewardship.
Amy Cravens, research director at IDC, highlighted the importance of domain expertise in developing effective AI solutions by stating “In specialized fields like energy and sustainability, agentic AI is only as effective as the depth of domain expertise embedded in its design. Guided by decades of experience with a team of deep, domain-level consulting expertise, Schneider Electric is creating an agentic AI ecosystem that sets a new standard for sustainability management—equipping organizations to meet increasingly complex challenges. This next generation agentic AI will readily transform information management into actionable systems of the future.”
Sustainability remains at the heart of Schneider Electric’s approach to AI development. Dan Whitsell, CTO and head of software engineering for the sustainability division, stated:
“Recognizing the energy intensity of AI, we are committed to developing and deploying this investment with a focus on computational efficiency and responsible resource usage. By integrating the principles of frugal AI, we are designing systems that deliver maximum intelligence with minimal resource consumption. This means leveraging leaner models, efficient algorithms, and optimized infrastructure to reduce energy use, emissions and costs without sacrificing performance.”
This announcement builds on Schneider Electric’s proven track record in AI innovation, including its Resource Advisor Copilot platform, a global AI hub that has saved $15 million through optimisation, and a strategic partnership with Nvidia to enhance efficiency and sustainability in data centres.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On. Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency. We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers. We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders.
