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Short abstract:

This presentation will discuss how a growing number of ethical principles and guidelines inform governance practices within public-private ecosystems centered on the twin Digital and Energy transition, drawing on empirical research within an interdisciplinary collaborative research project.

Long abstract:

The use of Artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the electricity sector is increasing, as part of the twin Digital and Green transitions in the EU. The expectation is that it can help deal with some of the most pressing challenges of the energy transition (decentralization, unpredictability of electricity sources, growing demand for electricity), providing more accurate forecasts and predictions to support investment in infrastructures, keeping energy networks in balance, managing flexibility assets, helping consumers to save energy, and more. In their efforts to develop AI-based innovative solutions for electricity systems, public-private collaborations are situated between different and sometimes conflicting discourses centering on the evolving regulatory and ethical frameworks that shape the twin transitions. This is illustrated by the growing number of ethical guidelines and principles intended to steer developments in either the energy sector or the field of AI. This presentation will discuss how such guidelines and principles can inform governance and development practices within public-private ecosystems. It draws on empirical research within a collaborative research project, where university and industry partners aim to develop innovative AI-based self-management systems at the electricity grid edge. Moreover, the presentation will reflect on some of the interventions that have been made within this collaboration. One such intervention is the outlining of a governance framework for AI within an energy ecosystem to ensure that core values are safeguarded. Part of this intervention has been to explore how such core values can or should be identified and how the different parties align around these values.