On October 12, 2025, ABB Group CEO Maarten Schwarz was invited to attend the 2025 Shanghai Mayor's International Entrepreneurs Advisory Meeting. At the meeting, Schwarz discussed the synergy between artificial intelligence and energy transformation, shared ABB's practical experience in this field, and offered suggestions for Shanghai to accurately develop its artificial intelligence industry and build a global innovation hub.

"ABB's business priorities are highly aligned with Shanghai's goal of building a global innovation network hub," Schwarz said. "We can effectively promote partnerships in key areas such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and green transformation, thereby better serving Chinese customers and helping various industries achieve leaner and cleaner operations."

Artificial intelligence is one of the three leading industries Shanghai is focusing on developing. The rapid development of the artificial intelligence industry and the integration of innovative technologies are reshaping the future landscape of the digital economy and energy system. As a core engine driving the growth in computing power demand, while driving up overall energy consumption, AI also provides breakthrough solutions for addressing the challenges of transforming traditional energy systems, building new power systems, and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of core infrastructure. Since 2014, ABB has focused on artificial intelligence research and applications, integrating AI technology into its business operations and driving industry innovation. Currently, ABB has over 250 AI projects underway globally, encompassing both analytical and generative AI. In China, ABB is collaborating closely with customers, partners, and others to collaborate on innovation and promote practical applications in key areas such as AI, electrification, and automation. Based on successful practices across numerous industries and local experience, ABB has proposed three recommendations:
1. Build a collaborative development system for intelligent computing power and new power systems
By establishing a collaborative computing power-governance mechanism and developing and deploying smart energy systems, this will enable diversified interaction between power generation, grid, load, and storage, complementarity among multiple energy sources, and intelligent regulation of energy demand. This will increase the utilization of renewable energy, reduce energy costs, enhance the intelligence level of the grid, and improve power supply reliability, providing a stable and reliable energy guarantee for the innovative development of the AI ​​industry. Taking the Xiamen Torch Industrial Park green microgrid project as an example, ABB's smart energy solution, equipped with AI algorithms for power generation and load forecasting, built a full-factor DC microgrid system. Through a 100,000 square meter rooftop photovoltaic system, this system achieved a 50% green electricity replacement, reducing carbon emissions by 13,400 tons annually and improving the park's energy efficiency and reliability.

2. Upgrading critical infrastructure, balancing stability and reliability with green and low-carbon development.

By deploying digital and intelligent technologies and building an intelligent early warning system, accurate forecasting and risk assessment are achieved for data centers, enhancing safety control and emergency response capabilities, effectively ensuring power supply reliability and operational stability. Furthermore, by optimizing key metrics such as power efficiency, renewable energy utilization, and energy and carbon efficiency per unit of computing power, ABB will accelerate the green, clean, and sustainable development of data centers. For example, at the CICC Data Center in Shanghai Jiading Park, ABB provided a comprehensive power distribution automation solution for the data center. This one-stop distribution solution ensures power continuity, and reliable inter-cabinet communication technology reduces on-site wiring and commissioning time by 80%.

3. Expanding collaboration platforms and attracting professional talent.

ABB is actively expanding innovative collaborations in China. In May of this year, the first ABB Accelerator China Week took place in Shanghai, attracting over 6,000 employees, customers, and partners from around the world, both online and offline. Experts from nearly 50 partner companies shared their experiences and exchanged ideas. The event showcased over 40 AI application solutions and generated nearly 350 innovative proposals through an AI hackathon, demonstrating the transformative power and collaborative potential of AI in multiple dimensions.