How AI is breaking the “fast follower” playbook of oil & gas

AI has moved from a speculative technology to a strategic priority across the energy industry. Conversations with industry leaders reveal that the debate is no longer about whether to adopt AI, but how aggressively to deploy it. Amidst the shift, two cohorts are emerging. The first group (the AI incrementalists) are applying the technology to improve and optimize existing workflows. The second group (the AI revolutionaries) are using it as a catalyst to fundamentally redesign how their organizations operate. Companies that are best positioned to capitalize on AI’s transformative potential will be those that adopt a portfolio approach: pursuing near-term efficiency gains while simultaneously investing in longer-term operating model reinvention. The self-improvement capabilities of AI mean the traditional “fast follower” strategy will likely not work as it has in the past. Early adopters are already building a competitive advantage that slower-moving companies will find increasingly difficult to overcome.