AIQ, an Abu Dhabi-backed artificial intelligence firm, is preparing to sell its ADNOC-tested products in the United States and other overseas oil and gas markets, while the UAE cites a $1.4 trillion investment commitment related to the region’s largest oil producer.
AIQ is a joint venture between the state oil company ADNOC and Presight, the latter being part of AI firm G42. According to AIQ CEO Dennis Jol, the company has spent six years building technologies aimed at improving safety and production within ADNOC’s operations. Jol spoke about the company’s international plans at the debut Semafor Gulf Live event in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Jol said AIQ has developed roughly 200 AI use cases at ADNOC. Those deployments include predictive maintenance that reduces downtime at drilling sites, measures that increase productivity, and tools that have shortened certain project schedules from weeks to hours.
"We’ve proven that we can do it here in the UAE. Now it’s time for us to export," Jol said.
Applied intelligence layer and data backbone
Central to AIQ’s pitch is what Jol called an "applied intelligence layer": practical AI systems validated in the field and models trained on 70 years of ADNOC data. AIQ describes itself as "model-agnostic," meaning its products can be adapted to oil producers using any of the major AI platforms.
Examples of AIQ’s applications include:
- systems embedded in closed-circuit cameras to verify that workers wear appropriate safety gear;
- automation that can shut down equipment to prevent accidents;
- subsurface modeling to decide which wells to stop and which to keep pumping — a capability Jol compared to logistical routing used by companies such as Uber, but applied to energy production.
International push amid strategic market conditions
AIQ’s move into international markets comes as the energy sector faces disruption from events such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE’s exit from OPEC earlier this year, together with measures like U.S. efforts to rebuild strategic reserves, has contributed to a context in which producers are seeking to maximize output.
Jol said AIQ will focus on markets where Abu Dhabi already has a strong presence. He placed U.S. oil and gas at the top of his priority list, followed by the North Sea, Canadian tar sands, and countries in the "global south" where the UAE maintains robust government-to-government relationships.
AIQ’s plans illustrate how state-linked technology ventures are attempting to transition from domestic operational improvements to exportable services, emphasizing field-proven, practical AI solutions as their competitive advantage.
