AESP Key Takeaways: Empowering Communities with AI

AI is everywhere. It's in our homes, our workplaces, even in our grocery store recommendations (yes, AI knows about your late-night snack habits). But beyond the flashy headlines, AI has the potential to do something far more impactful: empower communities, drive equity, and make energy solutions smarter.

At this year's AESP Annual Conference, the Empowering Communities with AI session, hosted by Ashley Santor, Co-Founder & CEO of Doer/Maker, brought together industry leaders to explore how AI is reshaping the way utilities, contractors, and local governments engage with customers. The takeaway? AI isn't just about automation, it's about making energy solutions work for real people.

One of the biggest challenges in energy planning is forecasting who, where, and when electrification will happen, and AI is making that easier. By using machine learning models to analyze energy consumption, policy impacts, and economic factors, AI helps utilities predict future adoption trends, plan infrastructure investments, and ensure equitable access to clean energy solutions. Translation? Less guesswork, more data-driven decisions.

Customers don't want generic energy tips, they want actionable, personalized insights. Utilities are now using AI to pinpoint high-energy users and offer tailored efficiency recommendations, automate customer outreach based on actual behavior, and predict equipment failures before they turn into high-bill surprises.

One of the most exciting applications of AI is its potential to close the energy equity gap. By analyzing financial, demographic, and housing data, AI can identify communities that need extra support, whether it's targeted weatherization efforts, enhanced rebates, or customized electrification incentives.

AI isn't here to replace human expertise, it's here to enhance it. The key is using AI strategically: start small, keep customers at the center, and break down silos. At the end of the day, AI is just a tool. How we use it determines whether it's just another tech trend, or a game-changer, for communities.