ADNOC CEO Calls for $4 Trillion Annual Global Energy Investment to Meet AI Demand

Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, emphasized the urgent need for $4 trillion in annual investments across energy production, power grids, and data centers to meet surging global energy demand driven by data centers and artificial intelligence. Despite current concerns over oil supply surpluses and price volatility, Al Jaber highlighted that long-term oil demand will remain above 100 million barrels per day beyond 2040, necessitating expanded and diversified energy sources rather than replacement of existing ones. He stressed that upgrading infrastructure such as electricity grids is critical to support the massive growth in power consumption linked to AI, urbanization, and expanding industries like aviation. Al Jaber urged global energy leaders and investors to adopt pragmatic, technology-driven policies similar to the UAE's model to stimulate economic growth, job creation, and investor confidence. He pointed out ADNOC's integration of over 200 AI use cases to improve operational efficiency as part of this approach. Overall, the message underscores the balance between addressing short-term market uncertainties and committing to long-term structural investments to power the future energy landscape.