Schneider Electric is harnessing the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) by integrating Microsoft Azure OpenAI to leverage algorithms to generate text, code and other types of content.

The French energy company wants to use genAI to empower its customers and transform its internal operations.

Building on the foundations of a long-standing collaboration with Microsoft, Schneider is integrating Azure OpenAI. This should let it reimagine its approach to various operational processes, streamlining time-consuming tasks, optimising resource allocation, and gaining speed and efficiency. At the same time the group continues to apply genAI to advance innovation in its offer portfolio.

A key highlight of Schneider’s use of genAI is the Resource Advisor Copilot that uses large language model technology through Azure OpenAI, Schneider has securely built Copilot as a convenient digital companion embedded inside Resource Advisor. Copilot equips customers with enhanced data analysis, visualisation, decision support and performance optimisation, and the ability to process intricate industry knowledge and Resource Advisor system information seamlessly.

The Jo-Chat GPT is an internal conversational assistant based on the Azure OpenAI service that lets employees profit from genAI capabilities in a secure way.

Contributing to €10m annual savings, Finance Advisor is a conversational assistant that provides an easy and effective way to find precise information for financial analysts in accounting and other functions within global finance. It helps achieve consistent, compliant and timely decision-making.

Knowledge Bot is a conversational assistant helping customer care representatives find precise information to queries and proposing appropriate answers based on large internal documentation.

Conversational search helps its customers search for the products they need in a natural conversation style using semantic search capability.

Schneider Electric is also looking to integrate Github Copilot to enhance its offer creation processes and operations as well as Sales Copilot to empower frontline employees.

“Generative AI is a game-changer and we are investing in this technology,” said Philippe Rambach, chief AI officer at Schneider Electric. “It has already allowed us to enhance internal productivity, and it aligns perfectly with our commitment to continuous improvement and impactful innovation focused on sustainability.”

The AI hub organisation at Schneider Electric was launched in 2021, before genAI technology became prevalent. With the emergence of these tools, the company created a dedicated genAI core team to work closely with internal and external stakeholders to detect early application opportunities. In parallel, Schneider has completed a study of genAI opportunities across all functions and selected more than 200 potential use cases and opportunities.

The adoption of genAI and integration with Azure OpenAI is said to underscore Schneider’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation in energy management and industrial automation. The companies are focused on leveraging technologies to drive efficiency gains, foster innovation and achieve sustainable growth.

“Microsoft Azure OpenAI allows Schneider to develop agile, scalable, cost-effective and AI-powered options which are in line with our shared ambitions for a sustainable and digitalised future,” said Dominik Wee, corporate vice president at Microsoft.

Schneider Electric (www.se.com) has a portfolio of built on Microsoft Azure (azure.microsoft.com) that offers its customers cloud-based IoT options as well as data and AI capabilities.