A global exporter of digital expertise

UAE

Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight, talks to The Energy Year about accelerating the digital transformation of the UAE’s industries and positioning the country as a global exporter of AI capabilities. Presight is a big data analytics company specialising in machine learning, natural language processing, predictive analytics and generative AI.

This interview is featured in The Energy Year UAE 2025

Presight is seeking to grow its presence in African countries. What is the strategic objective behind this expansion?
As part of G42’s and Abu Dhabi’s global leadership in digital transformation, Presight has a mandate to take its experience and lessons learned outside the UAE, particularly into the Global South. Since 2021, the company has taken its digital expertise to more than 14 countries across the African continent.
The company’s role extends beyond technology deployment; it is about fostering digital transformation at a national level. This can involve upgrading ICT [information communications technology] infrastructure, building analytics platforms for government use or helping ministries leverage data.
This initiative reflects how the UAE is not just advancing its own digital transformation but also sharing its technological gains with other nations. In many ways, it is a form of digital diplomacy that strengthens international ties through technology and innovation.

What is the importance of the energy sector in Presight’s portfolio?
Presight made a significant move in 2024 with the acquisition of AIQ, establishing energy as a major component of its business. The initial focus of AIQ’s energy AI solutions was the upstream segment, but the broader goal now is to develop an AI-driven nucleus within ADNOC to serve the entire hydrocarbon value chain – upstream, midstream, downstream, chemical engineering and post-production.
Although AIQ pays close attention to ADNOC, its mission is broader. ADNOC is one of the world’s leading NOCs and is positioned to create a digital transformation playbook that can support medium-sized NOCs looking to modernise. This aligns with H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber’s “AI for energy, energy for AI” vision, which emphasises efficiency, reduced environmental impact and digital enablement rather than just transitioning away from hydrocarbons.
At the same time, Masdar has emerged as one of the world’s largest renewable energy players, giving rise to new conversations about the intersection of AI, data centres and energy. If AI and computing continue to demand increasingly large amounts of energy, the industry must find ways to power them more efficiently today, even as long-term renewable alternatives are developed.

What role can AI play in assisting companies and governments to reach their sustainability goals?
AI is playing an important role in advancing net-zero goals by enabling faster, more efficient decision making. Targets such as achieving net zero by 2030 seemed ambitious at first, but with AI-driven efficiencies, the timeline could even be shortened. AI increases ADNOC’s ability to optimise production, reduce emissions – particularly of carbon dioxide and methane – and lower its environmental footprint.
The key challenge is balancing AI’s increasing capabilities with its energy footprint. Data centres are crucial for AI, but they require significant power and take years to build, and it is essential to integrate energy efficiency strategies into their development.
Masdar’s recent partnership with EWEC for a large-scale solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi shows how AI, renewables and energy storage are converging. In the next three years, we are likely to see AI-driven microgrids operating on top of existing grids, dynamically toggling between traditional and renewable energy sources. This layered approach, driven by AI, energy storage advancements and renewables, is poised to reshape energy infrastructure and accelerate the path to net zero.

What are Presight’s main strategic priorities for 2025?
Our vision for Presight includes scaling innovation and expanding global influence. Meeting the increasing demand for AI in the energy sector is another priority for Presight, and AIQ’s unicorn status marks a major milestone. We are also focused on extending AI-driven solutions beyond ADNOC and oil and gas domains. Ensuring success across multiple sectors and geographies will be key, and AIQ has the potential to shape digital transformation across industries.
Towards international expansion, the company’s rapid growth in Kazakhstan and its upcoming moves into the Balkans and Southeast Asia will help cement its presence in emerging markets. This aligns with the broader ambition of making the UAE a truly AI-native nation, not just a leader in AI adoption but also an exporter of expertise globally.
Mergers and acquisitions will play a role in scaling Presight’s impact. By targeting high-value acquisitions in different industries, Presight can accelerate its growth and diversify its offerings. If the current pace of entering three new countries per year continues, reaching 25-30 countries by 2030 is a very realistic goal. This would firmly position Presight as a global leader in applied AI and big data analytics.

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