French oil company Total is in talks with tech giants Google and Microsoft to help develop bespoke artificial intelligence (AI) in the energy sector’s race to tap digital technologies. Engineers at Total are currently working alongside top software developers to explore how complex algorithms could be applied to its work in oil and gas. Frederic Gimenez, the oil major’s chief information officer, said the “complete shift” from its traditional energy activities to investigating AI and machine learning has meant the company is working with different stakeholders to broaden its scope. “We have a strong knowledge of exploration and seismic analysis. But they are the ones who are the best in artificial intelligence. This has obliged our people to work with completely different partners and to merge our knowledge to find a new way to make oil and gas discoveries,” he told delegates of the FT Digital Energy conference.
French oil company Total is in discussions with Microsoft and Google about developing bespoke artificial intelligence (AI) software and to explore how complex algorithms could be applied to its work in oil and gas to improve efficiency. The companies are also looking at ways of using AI for the development of new products that can help make life easier for people who have trouble reading or writing English.