Much like the technological revolutions of the past, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industry standards. The transition from manual workflows to digital solutions parallels earlier shifts, such as the adoption of email, automation, and cloud computing. Now, AI is unlocking new levels of efficiency and insight, transforming complex decision-making into strategic applications.

“We are living through a period of rapid change when it comes to our digital lives. While many of you may be too young to remember this, when I was at university, the email revolution happened. We had the world before email and the world after it. Those two worlds are completely different,” said Eleanor Rowley, Managing Director of Capricorn Energy-Egypt, during a workshop entitled “AI Unlocked: Powering Your Career and Life with Intelligent Tools” on May 28 at Petrojet premises in New Cairo.

The event was hosted by the Women in Energy Network, a task force in the Egypt Oil and Gas (EOG) Committee, in cooperation with EmpowerMed Women Network, an initiative launched by the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) in 2025.  The event was designed for female professionals in the energy sector who are ready to embrace AI, not just as a buzzword, but as a practical and powerful tool to elevate their careers and daily life.

“Today’s event brings together for the first time the EmpowerMed Women Network and EOG’s Women Energy Network. Our goal is to integrate the regional perspective with Egypt’s domestic perspective, which is very important. We can do a lot together to drive meaningful change,” said H.E. Osama Mobarez, Secretary General of EMGF.

“Artificial intelligence is the topic of today. Everyone is talking about it, but I think not everyone fully understands how it works. Sometimes there are exaggerations, and sometimes there are underestimations. One of the key objectives today is to demystify AI, to provide clarity on how it works, and how it can benefit us,” Mobarez added.

Rowley, also the head of EOG’s taskforce, reiterated Mobarez, saying: “By the end of this workshop, it should be obvious to those who use AI that it will enhance their own intelligence and ability to perform well in the workplace.”

Women in Energy is a vibrant community aimed at empowering women professionals in Egypt’s energy sector. It fosters leadership, mentorship, and collaboration to support women in advancing their careers and shaping the future of the industry. It plays a crucial role in promoting diversity, inclusion, and professional growth, ensuring that women have the tools and opportunities to thrive in Egypt’s evolving energy landscape.

Unravelling the mystery of AI- what is it and why is it important?

As he led the workshop, Ahmed Salama, Executive Director at Microsoft, shared his 27-year experience in technology and discussed AI’s evolution. He commenced by providing an overview of machine learning, generative AI, and automation in simple terms.

He said that AI has been present for over 60 years, but became more accessible through recent developments in computing power and generative AI. He explained concepts like Large Language Models (LLMs) and the importance of proper prompt engineering in AI interactions.

Participants engaged with Salama, sharing their excitement and concerns about utilization of AI.  They highlighted privacy as their top concern such as in incidents of using unauthorized content and breaches of data security.

In response, Salama talked about the risks that may arise in the absence of clear controls over the use of this technology.

He emphasized the need to rely on internal models in dealing with corporate data to ensure security. He also noted the importance of strengthening data protection systems by activating multi-factor authentication (MFA) and updating protection methods to counter the evolving capabilities of hackers, especially with the growing use of AI in cyberattacks.

Besides, participants expressed their concerns about AI’s impact on human cognition, critical thinking, and learning—fearing that overreliance on AI might lead to intellectual laziness. Some even voiced worries about AI’s potential to develop emotional intelligence and its implications for future generations.

Salama addressed these concerns by explaining AI’s role as an augmentative tool rather than a replacement for human intelligence.

Touching upon the energy consumption dilemma, Salama explained that data centers are among the largest consumers of energy globally, a fact that calls for leveraging artificial intelligence to improve energy efficiency and ensure the sustainability of their operations.

AI in Energy and Beyond

Salama outlined cases where AI  was used to boost productivity. He explained complex concepts like machine learning and robotic process automation and linked them to real-world applications in industries like energy and manufacturing.

Salama underscored the necessity for businesses to prioritize data readiness to extract valuable insights, describing it as the “fuel of AI”. Without clean, structured data, even the most advanced AI systems are ineffective, he noted.

He illustrated AI’s growing influence given that its market is expected to reach $3 trillion by 2030. Thus, he stressed the importance of preparing younger generations for this reality through educational reform that embraces AI and equips students with the skills to survive in a technology-driven world.

During the workshop, participants identified some real-world problems that AI could be used to solve. This opened the door to fruitful side discussions among attendees about the opportunities for smart transformation within their organisations.

Salama highlighted the distinction between generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and a trained business model. GenAI serves general purposes, allowing users to generate posts, summaries, and other content. However, to apply it in business, the model must be trained on specific business data, Salama explained.

For example, in the energy sector, the model needs to “learn” industry-specific information. This enables it to understand challenges and generate meaningful solutions, he noted.

Hands-On AI Exercise

Participants were engaged in an interactive exercise where they crafted their prompts and observed the AI’s responses. This hands-on activity allowed them to see how slight modifications in wording could alter the AI’s output.

Salama provided an overview of several leading AI tools, emphasising that while each tool has its unique features, the effectiveness of their outputs heavily relies on well-crafted prompts.

He stressed that clearly defining the problem is the crucial first step in any AI or data project, with business experts playing a key role in identifying points and guiding data collection.

Salama introduced low-code/no-code and “by-coding” platforms, explained big data and cloud computing, and showed how generative AI can turn unstructured data into usable formats. He linked four data analytics phases and machine learning basics to real-world examples, especially in oil and gas.

The discussions highlighted that AI’s effectiveness is not static—it requires ongoing refinement to stay aligned with evolving industry needs, regulatory shifts, and emerging datasets.

Salama concluded with a reminder that while AI poses challenges, it also offers unprecedented opportunities, and it is up to us to harness its potential responsibly and creatively.