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Abu Dhabi-backed AI firm AIQ is looking to sell its products in the US, against the backdrop of the UAE’s $1.4 trillion investment commitment into the world’s largest oil producer.
AIQ, a joint venture between state oil company ADNOC and Presight (itself a unit of AI firm G42), has spent six years building technology to improve safety and production at ADNOC and is now pitching the tools to oil and gas firms internationally, AIQ CEO Dennis Jol said at the debut Semafor Gulf Live event in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The firm has developed nearly 300 AI use cases at ADNOC, according to Jol, helping reduce downtime at drilling sites through predictive maintenance and increased productivity, and cutting some project timelines from weeks down to a matter of hours.
“We’ve proven that we can do it here in the UAE. Now it’s time for us to export,” Jol said.
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Jol’s pitch centers on what he called the “applied intelligence layer” — practical AI systems tested in the field, and models trained on 70 years of ADNOC data. AIQ is “model-agnostic,” according to Jol, meaning it can adapt its products to an oil producer that is using any of the main AI platforms.
AIQ’s applications include systems embedded in closed-circuit cameras to check that workers are safely outfitted, automation to shut down equipment to prevent accidents, and subsurface modeling to decide which wells to turn off and which to pump — a tool that Jol likened to the logistical routing Uber is known for, but for energy production.
The firm’s push into international markets comes at a crucial moment for the energy industry, which has been impeded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE’s exit from OPEC earlier this year, along with factors such as the US efforts to rebuild reserves, is helping to create an environment in which producers are pushing to maximize their output.
AIQ’s international push will take it into markets where Abu Dhabi already has a firm presence. Jol said US oil and gas sits at the top of his priorities, along with the North Sea, Canadian tar sands, and the “global south” where the UAE enjoys strong government-to-government relationships.