How Microsoft champions 'frontier firms' for faster, smarter, sustainable growth

Generative and agentic AI is revolutionising energy operations, delivering on-demand intelligence and automating complex processes, says Jochem van Hove, Managing Director of Energy & Resources EMEA at Microsoft.

Energy companies are racing to adopt intelligent technologies that transform their operations. van Hove explains: "Everywhere you look, organisations are moving to deploy intelligent technologies that deliver real-time insights, automate complex tasks and unlock new business models."

Microsoft is helping energy companies become what it calls “frontier firms,” organisations built around two key pillars: on-demand intelligence and human-AI collaboration.

“A frontier firm is an organisation where real-time insights flow throughout the organisation, and agents (agentic AI) empower people, empower other agents, to do work faster,” van Hove explains. 

AI is also enhancing operational performance. Generative AI can streamline permitting, agentic systems optimise trading, predictive analytics safeguard assets, and real-time insights empower frontline workers. 

Van Hove adds: “Advanced forecasting strengthens grid resilience. Companies are advancing toward net zero, building sustainable businesses and operating with greater security and efficiency than ever before.”

One of the most tangible benefits of generative AI is in accelerating project timelines. Traditional permitting and licensing for assets like nuclear reactors or wind farms are lengthy and complex. 

Van Hove highlights, “From our work already in the US in the nuclear industry, we see that generative AI is really a difference maker, allowing teams to go twice as fast or even more.” 

However, transformation is not without challenges. Many organisations fall into what Microsoft calls “pilot purgatory”, where initiatives proliferate without clear focus. 

Microsoft emphasises that AI adoption in energy is a collective effort. “This is a job for everyone…you want to do it together within your organisation, but also with partners,” van Hove concludes.

Watch the full interview to learn how focused AI adoption is driving our energy future.

Listen: How AI can help make the most out of energy system flexibility

Read more: ‘If I had a magic wand I’d build an open platform to bring together all energy data’ says Microsoft’s Peris

**This interview was filmed in November 2025 at Enlit Europe in Bilbao, Spain.