Energy And AI Integration: Drawing A New Blueprint For High-Quality Development – ​​Schneider Electric's Zhao Guohua Attends

Speaking at Two Conferences: Focusing on Energy and AI Integration, Offering Advice for Urban and National Development

As a global leader in energy technology, Zhao Guohua's trip to China has attracted considerable attention. On March 20th, at the 17th Beijing Mayor's International Business Leaders Advisory Conference, he based his remarks on Beijing's core positioning as a national science and technology innovation center, combining the city's rich innovation resources, solid industrial foundation, and diverse application scenarios, and put forward a series of highly targeted development suggestions. He emphasized that promoting the deep integration of the energy system and the AI ​​industry is a key path for Beijing to transform its technological advantages into development efficiency and solidify its international competitiveness.

Zhao Guohua suggested that Beijing should focus its efforts on four key areas: First, building a national-level energy-AI testbed to provide a full-scenario verification platform for energy and AI integration technologies; second, constructing ultra-efficient AI infrastructure to support the high-quality development of the computing power industry with a green and low-carbon approach; third, strengthening the radiation effect of innovative achievements to empower the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region with advanced technologies; and fourth, deepening the cultivation of strategic talent to reserve high-end talent for the integrated development of energy technology and the AI ​​industry. This series of recommendations aligns with Beijing's goals of building "four centers" (centers, centers, and hubs) and provides practical guidance for the city's long-term high-quality development.

From March 22nd to 23rd, Zhao Guohua officially attended the China Development Forum Annual Meeting 2026 and delivered a keynote speech at the "Symposium on Digital Transformation of Manufacturing." Facing the backdrop of a reshaping global energy landscape, escalating climate change challenges, and accelerated industrial transformation, he profoundly pointed out that energy is the core driving force of socio-economic development, and the new energy industry has become an important pillar of the modern industrial system; while digital technologies such as AI provide indispensable technical support for energy transformation and industrial upgrading.

"China is the world's first major 'electric power nation' and a hub for AI industry development. These two advantages mutually reinforce and deeply integrate, forming a unique competitive advantage and vast development space," Zhao Guohua stated in his speech. He added that China boasts a world-leading installed capacity of new energy and a complete power infrastructure, while also ranking among the world's best in AI technology research and development, application scenarios, and talent reserves. This dual-engine pattern of "energy + AI" is the core foundation for China's cultivation of new productive forces and high-quality development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

Manufacturing Upgrading: Synergistic Integration of Digitalization and Green Development to Activate New Industrial Momentum
Manufacturing is the mainstay of the national economy and the main battleground for digital transformation and green, low-carbon development. During the forum's discussion session, Zhao Guohua focused on the advantages and transformation paths of China's manufacturing industry, sharing Schneider Electric's practical insights. He pointed out that China's manufacturing industry possesses long-term core advantages such as a huge market size, a solid industrial foundation, and strong supply chain resilience. The deep integration of AI technology will further activate the value of data elements, tap into the endogenous potential of industries, and open up a new landscape for manufacturing development.

In his view, AI technology empowers the manufacturing industry in all aspects: from intelligent optimization of process parameters, predictive equipment maintenance, and flexible production line scheduling in the production process, to intelligent supply chain collaboration, intelligent quality control, and intelligent energy consumption optimization in the management process, and further to digital design and intelligent operation and maintenance throughout the product lifecycle, AI is comprehensively reshaping the manufacturing industry's production methods, management models, and value creation logic. At the same time, abundant green energy supply will provide clean power support for the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, helping enterprises achieve a dual breakthrough in "efficient production" and "sustainable development," and accelerating China's manufacturing industry towards high-end, intelligent, and green development.

Zhao Guohua particularly emphasized that the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry is not an independent action by a single enterprise, but a systematic project involving the entire industrial chain and ecosystem. SMEs, as an important part of the manufacturing industry, are a key group in the transformation and also face multiple challenges in technology, capital, and talent. Multinational corporations should leverage their technological, experiential, and resource advantages, working with local partners to build an open and collaborative industrial ecosystem to help SMEs break down transformation barriers and share the dividends of digital transformation.

Deepening its presence in China: Schneider Electric's Three Practical Paths

"Schneider Electric remains optimistic about the Chinese market and consistently regards China as a core part of its global strategy and a vital source of innovation," Zhao Guohua stated clearly at the forum. As a global energy technology company deeply rooted in the Chinese market for many years, Schneider Electric consistently practices the philosophy of "In China, for China, for the world," deeply participating in China's energy transformation and industrial upgrading process through three paths: technological innovation, ecosystem collaboration, and talent development.

In terms of technological innovation, Schneider Electric adheres to the core principle of "three-way integration"-electrification, automation, and digitalization-and uses AI technology as its innovation engine to build intelligent solutions covering all aspects of energy production, transmission, and consumption, driving the transformation of energy systems towards electrification, intelligence, and clean energy. Currently, the company has established 5 R&D centers and an AI innovation laboratory in China, with 30 factories and logistics centers, forming an agile system integrating R&D, production, and sales. This enables it to quickly respond to the needs of the Chinese market and launch innovative technologies and products adapted to local scenarios. From smart grids to industrial automation, from data center energy management to green building construction, Schneider Electric's technological solutions are being widely applied in key industries in China, helping businesses across all sectors achieve efficiency improvements and carbon reductions.

At the ecosystem collaboration level, Schneider Electric actively builds an open and inclusive industrial ecosystem, collaborating with universities, innovative technology companies, system integrators, and upstream and downstream partners in the supply chain to jointly develop industry-specific small-scale models and promote the implementation of edge-side digital transformation. Its "Winning Innovation Program," launched for many consecutive years, has become an important platform for empowering the digital innovation of SMEs. Through resource matching, technical support, and scenario verification, it has successfully incubated numerous advanced AI applications, providing industry users with replicable and scalable transformation experiences. Simultaneously, the company actively promotes the upgrading of the local supply chain, driving upstream and downstream enterprises to jointly improve their green and intelligent capabilities, and building a more resilient industrial ecosystem.

In terms of talent development, Schneider Electric firmly believes in "technology empowering people." Internally, it has built a "talent lighthouse factory," using advanced technologies such as AI to empower employee growth and promote the comprehensive improvement of employees' digital and intelligent skills. Externally, it collaborates with more than 150 universities and vocational colleges in China to cultivate compound talents with both energy technology and AI knowledge through joint innovation laboratories, joint professional courses, and skills competitions, thus building a reserve of vital forces for industrial development. "Industrial talent is the foundation of transformation. Only by making talent and technology resonate in unison can the value of the integration of energy and AI be truly released," said Zhao Guohua.

Creating the Future Together: Joining Hands with Chinese Partners to Build a Path to High-Quality Development

Facing the grand blueprint of the "15th Five-Year Plan," China is accelerating the construction of a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development. The integration of energy and AI is ushering in an unprecedented historical opportunity. At the closing of the forum, Zhao Guohua stated that in the era of new quality productivity, the deep integration of energy and AI will become the core pillar of the new round of industrial revolution. China's significant advantages in these two fields provide Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom for global energy transformation and industrial upgrading.

"As a global leader in energy technology, Schneider Electric will continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, increase its investment in China, strengthen technological innovation, ecosystem cooperation, and talent development, and work hand in hand with Chinese partners," Zhao Guohua emphasized. He added that in the future, Schneider Electric will use more cutting-edge technologies, deeper collaboration, and more pragmatic actions to help China accelerate the construction of a new energy system, promote the digital and intelligent upgrading of its manufacturing industry, and cultivate and strengthen new productive forces, jointly writing a new chapter of high-quality development and contributing to global sustainable development.

With the spring breeze blowing and a new journey beginning, it is the right time to set sail and forge ahead. As the integration of energy and AI continues to deepen, with the joint efforts of global companies like Schneider Electric and local Chinese partners, China's path to high-quality development will undoubtedly become wider and wider, and a smarter, greener, and more prosperous future is rapidly approaching.

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