From Shadow AI to Scale with Meko ElMekawy: How enercity transforms internal AI adoption into a scalable operating model (#039)

In this episode, Anne Schlösser speaks with Meko ElMekawy about how Enercity is successfully driving an AI transformation within a regulated environment and what it takes to scale "Shadow AI" into a structured, company-wide operating model. The conversation centers on Enercity’s "AI Factory" approach, which treats initiatives like a venture portfolio with varying risk levels to drive internal innovation. Meko shares how a baseline survey revealed a massive "Shadow AI" adoption—including the discovery of 400 autonomous agents—which triggered a strategic shift from strict control to transparency and alignment. Using concrete examples like a "Google Maps for utility planning" to optimize infrastructure routes and an "AI Buddy" designed to capture retiring expert knowledge, the dialogue illustrates how AI acts as a key accelerator for the energy transition. Meko explains how framing AI as an operating model and partnering early with the Works Council converts skepticism into high adoption rates, achieving over 90% active usage for tools like Copilot. Finally, he outlines the pragmatic "build vs. buy" decision framework and offers a future vision where AI becomes invisible, critical infrastructure—just like electricity itself. About the Guest Meko ElMekawy leads the AI transformation at Enercity, a major German utility provider supplying energy to hundreds of thousands of households. With a clear mission to scale AI as an essential part of the company's infrastructure, he focuses on combining technical innovation with cultural change management to empower a workforce of over 3,000 employees.