Woodside Energy scales AI in energy operations as finance firms begin AI pilots

Woodside Energy, the Australian energy producer, has been deploying artificial intelligence for more than a decade across exploration, drilling, maintenance and plant operations. Its new AI copilot, called “Startup Advisor,” assists operators in managing the complex start‑up of LNG plants, aiming to augment—rather than replace—human expertise. The company emphasizes the need for standardized data, governed platforms and a redesign of work processes to embed autonomous AI agents at scale.

In professional‑services firms, AI adoption is still in early‑stage pilots. Fewer than 15 % of finance teams have moved beyond experimentation, citing legacy systems, fragmented billing structures and bespoke client engagements as barriers. Early successes focus on high‑volume, repetitive tasks such as billing automation, time‑capture error correction and expense reconciliation, freeing staff for more strategic work. Leaders stress that cultural change, skills development and clear data standardisation are essential for broader rollout, and note that AI is prompting a rethink of off‑shoring models toward more locally embedded finance functions.