Microsoft Copilot is really going to be a difference maker for National Grid.
Shannon Soland, Chief Technology Officer, National Grid
National Grid is an energy company operating in the UK and US. It sits at the heart of Britain’s energy system, connecting millions of people and businesses to the energy they use every day. Its individual companies run the systems and infrastructure that deliver electricity across the country.
National Grid is at the heart of transforming the energy system and the transition toward a cleaner energy future. Delivering a net-zero future requires a fundamental upgrade of our electricity grid at a pace and scale not seen for generations.
“It’s extremely exciting to be working at the forefront of technology with a very strong sense of purpose about what we need to do for our net zero targets and ambitions,” states Gavin Goodland, Chief Data Officer at National Grid.
“The drive to net zero is driving our business but it’s also driving many, many other industries,” he continues. “We are going to be the ones who will help the country and the business deliver net zero.”
Technology and data will play a major role in the achievement of net zero and National Grid has chosen to collaborate with Microsoft to explore and realise this potential.
“Security is absolutely paramount when you’re working with critical national infrastructure information—so having the right partner is hugely important to us as an organisation,” states Gavin Goodland.
Over the past few years, National Grid has migrated much of its estate into Microsoft Azure. As well as the agility, scalability, and access to Azure native services this offers, sustainability was a key part of this decision. Shannon Soland, Chief Technology Officer at National Grid, explains, “As technology advances, it is important to consider the environmental impact and strive for sustainable solutions. By transitioning to Microsoft’s cloud-based infrastructure, it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the capabilities of generative AI systems.”
It’s extremely exciting to be working at the forefront of technology with a very strong sense of purpose about what we need to do for our net zero targets and ambitions.
Gavin Goodland, Chief Data Officer, National Grid
The next horizon in the drive towards achieving net zero will be using data and information better—both to make the business more efficient and identify new opportunities for optimisation.
When it comes to generative AI, says Shannon Soland, “we have really lofty dreams and Microsoft has been critical in helping us realise them.”
“In our business, there’s a whole world of data, transactions, and information and that has to flow,” says Gavin Goodland. “One of the things we can do with data and generative AI is really bring simplicity to that.”
Other opportunities include: helping legal and finance teams to develop powerful knowledge-mining tools; assisting call centre agents to minimise administrative tasks so they can concentrate on the customer; automation; and the improved management of regulatory and rate case documentation.
“We’re looking at obvious user cases around email,” reports Gavin Goodland, “Microsoft Copilot lowers the barrier of entry for people, which can then really enable us to roll it out to people at the frontline—which then translates to a better customer experience and improved NPS scores for us as an organisation.”
In the rollout of Azure AI tools and the generative AI capabilities of Microsoft Copilot, National Grid places a high priority on using the technologies responsibly.
“One of the key elements of our responsible AI policy is keeping a human in the loop. They are constantly checking and monitoring to make sure that we are using AI in a responsible way,” explains Gavin Goodland.
With these checks and policies in place, National Grid sees huge potential for the business, helping it towards the delivery of net zero. Shannon Soland says, “Microsoft Copilot is really going to be a difference maker for National Grid.”
Andy Burns, Head of Data Strategy and Innovation at National Grid, concludes, “Microsoft provides support for us within Azure to rapidly innovate in the generative AI space and drive change at a rate we’ve never seen before.”
Microsoft provides support for us within Azure to rapidly innovate in the generative AI space and drive change.
Andy Burns, Head of Data Strategy and Innovation, National Grid
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