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DTECH 2026 Recap: AI Took Center Stage

AI Took Center Stage at DTECH 2026 (and the Superbowl)... What Utilities Do Next Matter


If DTECH 2026 had a single, unmissable theme, it was this: AI is no longer coming — it's here. Across the Expo floor, artificial intelligence wasn't just part of the product stack — it was baked into nearly every major solution.


But DTECH wasn’t the only place AI made noise.


While many of us were at DTECH, Anthropic released Claude 4.6 — its most advanced large language model yet, built to orchestrate multi-agent workflows, and perform sophisticated knowledge work. In a powerful twist, it was revealed that Claude 4.6 helped write itself — a product designed by AI, for AI.


And then came the cultural tipping point: At Super Bowl LX, AI took over the advertising stage. Anthropic, OpenAI, Base44, and others aired spots that positioned AI not as a curiosity, but as a creative collaborator and builder — even a co-pilot for software development.

While not as dramatic as the iconic 1984 Apple Super Bowl commercial, where a lone hammer-wielding rebel shatters the screen of conformity, these ads all have one thing in common: they launched a new era of computing and productivity.

2026 is that moment for AI.


Only this time, the hammer is invisible. It's built with code, trained on data, and activated by your voice.


For utilities, AI is now driving real-time analytics, edge intelligence, workflow automation, and grid modernization strategies. At DTECH, the message was clear: the future of the utility industry will be built with data, software, and the cloud — and AI will be the engine. AI may even be the developer!


So, what does this mean for utilities? Even if you think this future is far away. Think again. The next engineer or intern you hire will bring these tools with them and probably have a better way to solve some of our old problems.


Because AI is no longer about generative text or clever chatbots. It’s about agents that write code, create their own autonomous workflows, and these tools that can build apps, optimize assets, and reshape data that will forecast your operations — all from a simple prompt.

And that was on full display at DTECH. So, what’s next?


What Can You Do:  Follow us as we “Decode” DTECH Innovation Highlights


To help utility leaders cut through the noise and find real traction, InnovationForce launched DTECH Decoded — a 4-part series released in the lead-up to DTECH 2026.


We curated and categorized the conference sessions around how to solve the grid’s top 10 challenges — from wildfire mitigation to DER integration, resilience planning, and customer engagement. We then tied these themes back to real solutions, mapped inside our InnovationWorks platform, so utility teams could:


✅ Discover the most relevant vendors and tech

✅ Match solutions to their own challenges

✅ Use a workflow to pilot those technologies faster — and with less risk


If the show flew by for you (and let’s face it — it always does), DTECH Decoded is your second chance to capture the value and take real action.




We also hit the show floor to speak directly with some of the most forward-thinking companies and solvers at DTECH — those thinking differently about how utilities can work.

Follow us as we begin releasing these exclusive interviews where you’ll gain insights from leaders and up and coming innovators like:


  • Itron – on AI and distributed grid edge intelligence can be put to work across your utility

  • Hubbell – on how AI can tap meter data to solve really tough problems that until now have been very hard or costly.

  • Switched Source – on how to find more capacity AND drive deliver faster outage response with power electronics

  • Line Vision – on why DLR is not just about capacity anymore, its about forecasting.

  • Senpilot – on the power of AI and Agents that will become the future of work at your utility

  • WorkOnGrid – on how to create a data architecture that helps you unlock the power of this AI driven future – your way

  • Envelio and Integral Analytics: on the future of forecasting and system planning

  • Engineered Intelligence: on the future of asset management to drive reliability

  • Gridwrap, Gridware and Delphire: on the future of wildfire prevention


And many more! We interviewed over 20 inspiring thoughts leaders. Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn or YouTube to get the latest videos!


🚀 Ready to Take Action Now: “The Knowledge of One is the Knowledge of All”


Watching this year’s Super Bowl ads were a “kinder, gentler” version of Apple’s “1984”, but their foreshadowing is similar. Unmistakably, what comes next will be the biggest era of productivity from the computer era since personal computing and the Internet.

So, what can you do about it? As you navigate this future, we turn to a great motto we heard at DTECH from the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC):


“The Knowledge of One is the Knowledge of All”


Or as our co-founder Dr. Linda Hill might say, it’s time to tap the Collective Genius of our industry.


Which is why we are excited about a new “Grid Advancement Collaborative” being launched by AIEC’s Grid Operations program. They are organizing working groups around the top 10 grid operations challenges utilities must solve this year.


Don’t go it alone in this time of change. Collaborating with others will reduce risk, drive change faster will define your success in this next era of AI confusion. The winners will be those who share, test, adapt, and scale innovation as a community.


So what can you do next?


  • Follow InnovationForce on LinkedIn for the latest interviews, insights, and field reports from the innovators reshaping the grid

  • Reach out to AEIC to learn how your utility can participate in the Grid Advancement initiative and start tackling these Top 10 Challenges collaborative

  • Start preparing your data architecture, pilot process, and innovation ecosystem to prepare for the agent-driven, AI-native future. We happen to love this one from WorkOnGrid





The future is arriving faster than expected. But we don’t have to navigate it alone. Subscribe to InnovationWorks or book a meeting with us to learn more!

 
 
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