Itron Report Reveals 81% of North American Utilities Already Use AI

As U.S. Grid Assets Age Out, Utilities Turn to AI for Proactive Planning

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water, released its 2025 Resourcefulness Report, Grid Edge Intelligence: Five Ways Energy Utilities Can Deploy AI Now. In this year’s survey of 500 electric utility executives across the U.S. and Canada, responses indicated that North American utilities are adopting data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and grid-edge intelligence far faster than anticipated.

In last year’s survey, 27% of North American utility executives forecasted these technologies would be fully integrated into operations in five years. Today, 41% of utility executives surveyed report having fully integrated AI-related technologies—much earlier than anticipated. Meanwhile, another 40% have made significant investments and report mature projects underway. This rapid adoption comes as the industry faces unprecedented pressures that threaten to outpace capacity, such surging demand from growth in manufacturing, electrification and AI data centers.

“AI is introducing new complexities, but it’s also creating powerful opportunities,” said Marina Donovan, vice president of global marketing, ESG and public affairs at Itron. “Surging demand from manufacturing, electrification and data centers is straining the grid, yet the same technologies are giving utilities the intelligence to modernize infrastructure, anticipate risks and strengthen community safety. The progress made in just one year is extraordinary—and it highlights the urgency of this moment.”

Key findings:  

Across the U.S. and Canada, executives identified several key industry insights that are top of mind during the ongoing AI boom:

• Grid optimization is the top priority: 57% of executives see AI as key for smarter grids by balancing loads, reducing energy loss and boosting distributed energy resource integration. AI can act as the catalyst in modernizing utilities and delivering more reliable power for consumers.
• Safety remains essential: 53% of executives cite safety as a leading AI application due to its ability to detect more hazards than physical inspectors alone, enabling faster, real-time responses.
• Demand forecasting powers proactive planning: Demand forecasting ranked third among the areas where utility leaders expect AI and grid-edge analytics to have the greatest impact, with just over half of respondents (51%) identifying it as a top-three priority. Strong forecasting capabilities enable better energy management and smoother renewables integration, ultimately resulting in more reliable service and fewer interruptions for consumers.
• Customer demands are amping up: Today’s consumers are demanding greater personalized insights, proactive outage notifications and self-service options. These demands have led 57% of executives to note customer support as their biggest challenge in consumer engagement.

“The pace of AI adoption across utilities is unlike anything we’ve seen before. This isn’t a trend, but a resilience strategy,” added Donovan. “From extending asset life through predictive maintenance to detecting hazards faster and improving customer service, utilities are applying AI where it delivers measurable impact today and prepares the grid for tomorrow.” 

Download the full 2025 Resourcefulness Report and its companion research to explore all five strategies utilities are using to integrate AI today: www.itron.com/resourcefulness.

About Itron

Itron is transforming how the world manages energy, water and city services. Our trusted intelligent infrastructure solutions help utilities and cities improve efficiency, build resilience and deliver safe, reliable and affordable service. With edge intelligence, we connect people, data insights and devices so communities can better manage the essential resources they rely on to live and thrive. Join us as we create a more resourceful world: www.itron.com.

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