Electrification and automation technology specialist ABB has integrated its generative AI solution, ABB Ability Industrial Knowledge Vault (IKV) with its ABB Ability Energy Management System (EMS). The combined offering is said to enable EMS users to access energy and sustainability insights through natural language interaction with the aim of enhancing dashboards, analytics and reporting capabilities embedded in ABB’s energy management solution used across industries including mining, pulp and paper, metals and cement.

The IKV copilot functionality enables operators, energy managers and sustainability teams to ask direct questions about energy usage, emissions drivers, cost factors and equipment performance. This removes the need to navigate multiple dashboards, apply extensive filters, export data or compile reports manually. EMS Copilot is designed to support faster interpretation of operational energy data, while retaining the transparency and rigour required for industrial decision-making.

The company says that the integration reflects the operational reality many industrial organisations now face, including escalating energy costs, increased complexity across assets and systems, and growing requirements for efficiency, reliability and sustainability reporting. In industries such as mining, pulp and paper, metals and cement, where energy can represent a significant portion of operating costs, faster access to performance insights can support timely operational decisions.

“Industrial organisations are under increasing pressure to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and strengthen operational resilience,” said ABB global head: digital process industries division Sanjit Shewale. “By integrating generative AI capabilities into our EMS, we are empowering teams to access the insights they need for faster, more informed decisions, without adding complexity to day-to-day operations.”

The company explained that IKV was launched to help industrial organisations retain and safeguard critical expertise by capturing and structuring information into a centralised repository that can be accessed through natural language conversations. IKV supports the creation of actionable procedures and step-by-step workflows to help workers apply best practices more efficiently and preserve safe operations.