Sydney: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) views the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) not as a replacement for talent, but as a powerful tool to strengthen human decision-making as the utility advances its digital transformation journey toward Net Zero 2050. Representing TNB at the Gartner APAC CIO Leadership Forum 2026 in Sydney, chief digital and information officer, Azlan Ahmad said meaningful transformation at a national scale requires bridging the gap between two deeply rooted organisational cultures. These are the engineering mindset, which focuses on building systems, and the information technology (IT) mindset, which focuses on solving problems.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, by fostering collaboration between both disciplines, TNB aims to ensure that as the national grid becomes increasingly intelligent, the workforce itself becomes more empowered. 'Success in this transformation is measured not only by technology adoption, but also by the psychological readiness of the organisation,' he said at the forum held recently. He said this effort is reinforced through TNB's Value Unlocking Programme, an organisation-wide framework designed to ensure that every initiative delivers measurable outcomes in profitability, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

Addressing the challenges of the transition, Azlan emphasised the importance of engaging employees based on their differing levels of readiness for change, highlighting the varying perspectives between tech-savvy early adopters and conservative engineers who place utmost importance on the stability of critical control systems. He said a human-centric approach requires building trust and maintaining deep engagement with employees long before any digital initiative is implemented. 'By addressing job security concerns and elevating the workforce from manual tasks to higher-value advisory roles, technology acts as the nervous system that supports people in navigating a complex energy transition,' he said.

For TNB, the path toward Net Zero 2050 is guided by both intelligence and empathy, driven by the immense value that AI can bring to the nation. 'This is not merely an upgrade of a grid but the evolution of a national legacy, by empowering the workforce to be the co-creators of a digital future,' said Azlan. Through this approach, TNB seeks to ensure that Malaysia's evolving energy landscape remains resilient, inclusive, and fundamentally better and brighter, he said. The forum served as a key moment to demonstrate the maturity of TNB in scaling artificial intelligence, moving beyond industry hype to focus on the psychological readiness and operational resilience required of a future-ready workforce.