TechCentral (South Africa)

Eskom to Rationalise AI Pilots as Costs Rise

State-owned utility Eskom is trimming its portfolio of artificial‑intelligence experiments after identifying 220 active pilots across the company. Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Len de Villiers stressed that each AI initiative must be backed by a solid business case and demonstrable return on investment. The rationalisation will prioritize projects such as predictive maintenance, grid‑intelligence platforms and digital twins of power stations. The move aligns with South Africa’s electricity‑sector liberalisation, which demands smarter, cost‑effective management of a more complex grid.