Lovelytics at DTECH 2026: Navigating the AI-Driven Grid

The power and utilities industry is at a critical inflection point. As we prepare for DTECH 2026 in San Diego from February 2–5, the conversation has shifted from “why” we need AI to “how” we can deploy it at scale to drive measurable business impact.

At Lovelytics, we are helping utilities move past data overload to pinpoint reliability risks before they escalate. We invite you to join us at Booth UL442 to see live demos of Gridlytics AI and learn how we are partnering with Databricks to build the future-proof, AI-driven grid.

Giacomo Listi, our Energy & Utilities Industry Lead, is keeping a close eye on the transformative trends shaping 2026. Drawing on recent insights from Gartner and our work in the field, he’s placing “big bets” on three key pillars that he thinks will be prominent at DTEH this year:

1. Data-First Grid Modernization

Modernizing the grid is no longer just about hardware; it is about the data fabric that connects it. Giacomo’s first big bet is that by 2028, the “Data-First” utility will be the industry standard. Utilities are currently managing trillions of records, and the winners will be those who can consolidate these massive datasets into a unified platform. As we saw with Xcel Energy, a robust data foundation allows for 20x faster time to insight, turning grid modernization from a capital expense into a strategic engine for ROI.

2. Scaling Autonomous Asset Monitoring with Drone Technology

By 2027, AI-enabled asset intelligence is projected to cut outages by 40%. Giacomo’s second big bet focuses on the shift from manual inspections to high-frequency, autonomous drone operations. This isn’t just about taking pictures; it’s about “machine muscle”—using drones equipped with AI to perform real-time event detection and health assessments. This technology allows utilities to orchestrate autonomous fleets across vast territories, enabling a self-healing grid that identifies and addresses vulnerabilities before they lead to a failure, significantly reducing safety risks for field crews.

3. Dynamic Flexibility and AI-Driven Energy Trading

The integration of intermittent renewables is driving unprecedented price and supply volatility. By 2029, it is predicted that 65% of utilities will use cloud-native platforms for flexibility markets, real-time dispatch, and dynamic pricing—a massive jump from just 15% today. Giacomo’s prediction: AI will become the primary manager of real-time orchestration by 2030. Utilities that fail to adopt decision intelligence platforms now will soon face outage recovery times three times longer than their AI-driven peers.

We are leading two high-impact sessions designed to help you move from pilot projects to enterprise-scale AI value:

The Executive Blueprint: How Xcel Energy Built a Future-Proof, AI-Driven Grid

• When: February 2, 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM | Room 28AB
• The Story: Learn how Xcel Energy leveraged its Data Fabric (XDF) to achieve a 20x faster time to insight, consolidating 16.7+ trillion records and generating nearly $1B in business impact

Peer-to-Peer Exchange: The Predictive Utility – Prioritizing AI for Resiliency & ROI

• When: February 3, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Room 25A

• The Goal: A hands-on roundtable focused on prioritizing AI use cases for maximum ROI and grid resilience in an era of unprecedented demand from electrification and AI data centers.

Visit Us at Booth UL442

Stop by our booth on the upper level to meet Giacomo and the team, see Gridlytics AI in action, and chat with our partners from Databricks.