Putting A.I. to work: The Disciplined Approach to Innovation in Oil and Gas Operations

August 31, 2026

By: Robert Thaxton, Vice President, Oil & Gas Business Operations, U.S. Energy Development Corporation

The race to integrate artificial intelligence (A.I.) into business operations is accelerating, even as the path to get there continues to change beneath our feet. New capabilities emerge almost daily, competitors adapt quickly, and the definition of success is constantly evolving. From field operations to corporate workflows, A.I. is measured by its ability to solve business challenges and improve performance. At U.S. Energy Development Corporation (U.S. Energy), A.I. pilots are treated as hypotheses to be tested, measured and either scaled or redesigned. 

At the organizational level, A.I. adoption is most effective when guided by a strategy built for reality: casting a wide net, failing fast and scaling selectively. In practice, that means testing a range of targeted use cases with manageable entry costs across departments, measuring results early and scaling only the initiatives that demonstrate meaningful value. 

Read the full article here: Putting A.I. to work: The disciplined approach to innovation in oil and gas operations 

Putting A.I. to work: The disciplined approach to innovation in oil and gas operations by Robert Thaxton

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