Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic promise—it is now a linchpin of productivity and innovation across some of the most complex industries. That was the message from the opening morning of London Tech Week, where industry leaders from energy giant BP, pharmaceutical heavyweight AstraZeneca and Formula One’s Red Bull Racing gathered to share insights […]
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic promise—it is now a linchpin of productivity and innovation across some of the most complex industries. That was the message from the opening morning of London Tech Week, where industry leaders from energy giant BP, pharmaceutical heavyweight AstraZeneca and Formula One’s Red Bull Racing gathered to share insights on the transformative impact of AI.
In a session moderated by Sir John Lazar, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Emeka Emembolu, BP’s newly appointed technology VP, laid out the oil major’s long-standing relationship with AI.
“We’ve been working with AI for the last 10 to 15 years,” he said, highlighting BP’s early investment in Palantir and its broad application of AI across the business—from optimising offshore oil and gas production to mapping ideal locations for EV charging stations and retail sites.
Yet Emembolu was clear-eyed about the risks in an industry where safety is paramount. “We are not implementing AI to make safety judgments, but rather to help people make better judgments,” he said. “Human oversight remains a critical part of our operations.” BP’s approach focuses on using AI systems to aggregate safety data, identify best practices, and train personnel, all while ensuring humans remain firmly “in the loop.”
When asked whether AI adoption would spark a seismic cultural shift at BP, Emembolu acknowledged that it would. “This technology is changing the type of work people do,” he said, echoing Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote reference to AI as an infrastructure layer.
“Rather than eliminating jobs, it will create many new roles, such as prompt engineering, data scientists, and analysts,” he added. While generative AI might erode some entry-level software jobs, Emembolu argued that younger engineers entering the workforce are already “AI-native” and likely to adapt more readily than their predecessors.
Nonetheless, Lazar cautioned that AI could become “a shortcut to laziness,” a concern Emembolu agreed with, noting that critical thinking skills would remain indispensable. “From graduates to those on retail sites, everyone must embrace this evolution,” he said. Beyond the data, the physical world still needs attention—sensors and OT devices bring their own complexities, and Emembolu noted that BP is investing heavily in these areas.
BP’s “symbiotic” relationship with AI infrastructure
He also touched on the broader energy implications. Referencing Nvidia’s Huang, Emembolu warned that the computing power needed to fuel AI growth could require as much energy as Japan’s entire annual consumption—around 1,000 terawatt hours. “There’s a symbiotic relationship between what we do with energy and what AI needs to grow,” he said. “We must ensure that energy is clean and affordable.” BP, he stressed, aims to play a key role in decarbonising AI’s energy appetite.
Emeke Emembolu, EVP, technology, BP
BP is already deploying AI across four priority areas. Subsea imaging—using sonar beneath the seabed—has become increasingly AI-dependent. Bioenergy, robotics, quantum computing, and cybersecurity are other key investment targets. Emembolu highlighted the firm’s exploration of AI-driven human-machine interfaces, enabling more natural language interactions.
“We’re excited to see how AI can become more agentic,” he said. He also flagged the importance of advances in chip architecture to lower costs and boost performance.
AstraZeneca: personalised medicine
Following BP’s presentation, AstraZeneca’s chief digital officer, Cindy Hoots, took the stage to demonstrate how AI is transforming drug discovery and patient care at a global scale. “AI has completely changed and positively impacted every part of our business,” she said, pointing to AstraZeneca’s DISC research hub in Cambridge as a testament to digital transformation in action.
AI is slashing drug development timelines by up to 50%, she explained, crucial in a sector where time is a matter of life and death.
“For cancer patients, every minute counts,” she said. The company is also harnessing AI to create knowledge graphs that surface hard-to-spot correlations, driving breakthroughs in personalised medicine. “AI-powered tools are enhancing our understanding of patients’ unique genetics and responses to treatment,” she said.
Beyond discovery, AI is reshaping drug manufacturing. Digital twins of production lines have cut planning lead times from eight hours to just 15 minutes, and VR-based operator training at the Macclesfield site has halved production times for certain drugs, according to Hoots.
AstraZeneca’s factories in Sweden and China have also earned “Global Lighthouse” status from the World Economic Forum, reflecting their leadership in digital manufacturing.
Hoots also showcased Milton, an AI-powered disease prediction tool capable of identifying up to 1,000 diseases before symptoms appear and noted partnerships with Qure.ai to analyse chest X-rays for early lung cancer detection across 20 countries.
“We are only scratching the surface of what AI can do,” she concluded, emphasising the importance of collaboration between industry, academia and startups to drive innovation responsibly. “The technology is not here to replace us, but to augment human potential,” she said. “Let’s use technology to create a healthier, more equitable world.”
Formula One: AI, simulation and human sensors
Adding a different perspective, Red Bull Racing’s CEO Christian Horner offered a glimpse into the high-octane world of Formula One, where AI and simulation technologies are increasingly crucial.
Christian Horner, CEO, Red Bull Racing
“F1 is a technology business,” Horner said. “We use technology to extract the most performance from these cars.” From aerodynamics to combustion simulations, Red Bull deploys AI-driven modelling to gain competitive advantage in an ever-shifting regulatory landscape. “There’s always a grey area that can be exploited,” he joked.
Yet Horner insisted that human judgment remains essential. “The driver is our biggest sensor in the car,” he said. “The data gives you a picture, but it won’t explain why.”
