Stanford Energy Seminar | AI, Energy, and Sustainability: From Innovation to Impact | Richard Newell, C3 AI (former)

The Stanford Energy Seminar has been a mainstay of energy engagement at Stanford for nearly 20 years and is one of the flagship programs of the Precourt Institute for Energy. We aim to bring a wide variety of perspectives to the Stanford community – academics, entrepreneurs, utilities, non-profits, and more. 

About the talk

Artificial intelligence and energy are becoming deeply intertwined. AI is driving new demand for power, and it is also emerging as a powerful tool for making energy systems cleaner, more reliable, and more efficient. What does that two-way relationship look like in practice, and where is it heading?
 

Join us for a fireside chat with Richard Newell, former Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Sustainability Solutions, C3 AI, in conversation with John Weyant, Stanford professor and longtime leader in energy and climate systems analysis. Drawing on decades studying energy technology and markets and recent experience in enterprise AI, Newell will explore:
    •    How different forms of AI are improving energy systems, with concrete examples
    •    What “physical AI” is and what it could mean for the grid, infrastructure, and industry
    •    How AI is reshaping the software industry, and what it takes for companies to deploy AI successfully
    •    Where investors and emerging companies see the most promising opportunities at the AI-energy intersection
    •    Lessons from earlier energy transformations that can help us make sense of this one
 

The conversation will also turn to what to watch in the years ahead and how students and early-career professionals can prepare to contribute. Whether you are a student, researcher, practitioner, or simply curious about where AI and energy meet, this session offers an informed, practical look at the road from innovation to impact.

Anyone with an interest in energy is welcome to join! You can enjoy seminars in the following ways:

• Attend live. The auditorium may change quarter by quarter, so check each seminar event to confirm the location. Explore the current quarter's schedule.
• Watch live in a browser livestream if available. Check each seminar event for its unique livestream URL.
• Watch recordings of past seminars 
  • Available on the Past Energy Seminars page and the Energy Seminars playlist of the Stanford Energy YouTube channel
• (For students) Take the seminar as a 1-unit class (CEE 301/ENERGY 301/MS&E 494)

If you'd like to join the Stanford Energy Seminar mailing list to hear about upcoming talks, sign up here.