AI in oil & gas: Five strategic shifts every leader should be thinking about

AI isn’t coming to the oil and gas industry – it’s already here. From predictive maintenance to generative ESG reporting, applications are multiplying. The pressure to act is mounting.  

This moment marks more than a technological evolution; it signals a fundamental shift in leadership. Rather than diving into technical architectures or model comparisons, leaders must embrace a mindset reset. This piece outlines five strategic shifts every energy leader must embrace to make AI real, practical and transformative.  

1. Solve what’s leaking – not everything at once  

“Patch the leak.” 

The temptation to launch a sweeping AI transformation is understandable – but often fatal. Enterprise-wide initiatives that try to ‘fix everything’ rarely get off the ground.  

Start smaller and go deeper. Find a process that’s inefficient, painful and visible. Solve it well and deliver value quickly – that’s how momentum and credibility is built. In a sector where complexity is high and trust is earned; small wins are the strategic accelerants.  

2. Get users in the room early 

“If the controller isn’t in the scrum, you’re solving the wrong problem.” 

Too many AI pilots fail because they’re built in a vacuum. Tools are often deployed without real user input, and the results are solutions that miss the mark.  

Organisations need to embrace co-creation. Advising them to bring domain experts – accountants, engineers, planners – into the process from the start is essential. Let them guide the design and stress test the assumptions. Allow them to own the results. When you build alongside the end user, you don’t just get adoption – you get advocacy.  

3. Fund the plumbing 

“AI is only as smart as your process is clean.” 

It’s easy to be dazzled by slick demos and breakthrough use cases. Bring the conversation back to earth, because none of it works without solid infrastructure.  

Messy data, fragmented systems and unclear processes are all silent killers of AI progress. Hence, the smartest leaders are over-investing in the foundations, even when it’s not glamorous or ‘trendy.’ This isn’t about perfection, it’s about maturity – ultimately separating AI tourists from operators.  

4. Don’t chase shiny objects 

“Do what works, not what’s novel.” 

There is a growing chorus of companies exploring custom LLMs, bespoke copilots and proprietary tooling. However, we leaders need to consider the critical question: what problem are you actually solving?  

Novelty may win in headlines but rarely delivers ROI. Instead, organisations should deploy proven tools in targeted ways, solve specific use cases and keep experimentation grounded in business value. In short: function over flash.  

5. Curiosity wins over credentials 

“The best way to learn? Try it.”  

Don’t wait for a playbook. Try something. Whether it’s taking a picture of your fridge and asking for a recipe or uploading a dataset to summarise trends, the key is to build familiarity through use. You don’t need to be a technical expert to lead AI. To lead in AI, you need to be curious, hands-on and open-minded. This isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about asking better questions and being bold enough to experiment.  

Each evolution in language technology – from clay tablets to the internet – has democratised something fundamental: memory, literacy, communication, now creation. With AI, we are at the next frontier, and we can now turn ideas into action at the speed of language. This changes everything – from how we work to how we lead. ‘This isn’t a new tool, it’s a new capability.’  

Like every leap before, the real impact won’t come from the technology itself – but from the people bold enough to use it well.  

So, where should energy leaders focus today? 

• Pick one painful problem  

• Bring the right users in early 

• Fix your data before you scale 

• Use what works, not what’s flashy  

• Try something today 

In this race, early movers will win – but only if they move smartly.  

At Elixirr, we’re working with energy leaders to turn AI from an idea into impact. Whether you’re piloting your first use case or scaling with confidence, we can help you unlock real results – fast.