The Architecture Problem Holding Back AI on the Electric Grid
AI is spreading across electric utilities, but most projects stall. The problem isn’t the algorithms—it’s the data. Grid systems operate on different clocks, from milliseconds to days. Until utilities build time-synchronized data architectures, AI will remain experimental rather than operational.
AI in Grid Planning: The Burden of Proof
AI can accelerate planning work, but speed is not an evidentiary standard. The more an AI output can shape an infrastructure decision, the more utilities should require traceability, independent validation, reproducibility, controlled change, and accountable engineering judgment.
Tianqiao Zhao
