As the electric utility industries largest global event, DTECH 2026 brought together in San Diego the most forward-thinking operators, technology partners and solution providers for three amazing days. The event theme “Transforming Connections. Today and Tomorrow” captured the huge challenge faced by the entire industry.
What stood out in our conversations at the IQGeo booth and in the conference sessions were the urgency for grid transformation and the strong desire for practical innovation with AI front and center in most conversations. Utilities are under pressure to modernize, improve system reliability, enhance safety and prepare for a rapidly changing electricity ecosystem. Given the pragmatic personality of the industry, it’s not surprising that utilities want technology that delivers measurable value today, not theoretical roadmaps or one-off experiments.
Utility Operators Under Pressure
Every utility at DTECH shared a common challenge. Their teams are stretched, their networks are becoming more complex and the volume of field work continues to rise. They are looking for technology that helps them manage this pressure while stripping back complexity. There was strong consensus that disconnected systems and manual processes can no longer support current operations, not to mention scaling for the future.
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AI-Driven Geospatial Workflows
This trend aligns closely with what IQGeo sees in the market and with our customers. To achieve their ambitions, utilities need a single “geospatial work execution” software solution that supports operations across the entire lifecycle of their physical grid. Flexible workflows using proven AI technology must solve real-world problems in the field and office and while at the show we shared and discussed some of the most common use cases which include:
AI was one of the most discussed topics at DTECH, but the tone of the conversation seems to have shifted from previous years. Utilities are no longer asking software providers like IQGeo to explain AI. They are now demanding to see how it delivers compelling value today with proven AI solutions that allow them to start small and scale fast. Key to adoption are practical use cases that reduce workloads, improve accuracy and accelerate maintenance and inspections while helping shrinking field teams do more with less.
AI-Powered Geospatial Work Execution
This is why the NetLux AI software integrated into our geospatial workflows captured so much attention. By embedding proven visual AI technology into everyday field tasks and workflows, NetLux AI provides a direct path to measurable improvements. Attendees were impressed by how visual AI is capturing and documenting conditions, automating inspections, improving QA/QC and compliance, reducing errors and mitigating rework.
The DTECH show in San Diego was an amazing event and an unmatched opportunity to gage the pulse of the electricity utility industry. “Practical Innovation” is being demanded by grid operators and IQGeo easily responded with our AI-powered geospatial work execution software that’s striking the right balance between innovation and hard-nosed business pragmatism that demand ROI.
Discover why geospatial work execution is the foundation of modern utility operations in our Bitesize Electric podcast.
