East (North America) Summit 2026
Vertical AI, Digitalization, and the Future of Utilities
The WE3 East (North America) Summit 2026 brings the region’s energy and utility leadership together in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Duke Energy headquarters.
Presented by SEW.AI and hosted by Duke Energy, this invite-only leadership forum is designed for senior utility executives, industry innovators, and technology leaders across the U.S. East Coast. The summit focuses on practical dialogue, peer exchange, and collaboration around the priorities shaping the future of energy and water in the region.
Building on the strong engagement and outcomes of the 2025 edition, WE3 East 2026 continues to serve as a trusted platform for leaders driving real progress across the utility ecosystem.
- Be at the epicenter of energy and utilities transformation alongside Duke Energy and regional utilities
- Engage in bold, regionally grounded conversations that shape strategy and innovation
- Experience future-ready technologies through immersive showcases and solution tracks
- Contribute to shaping policy, partnership, and progress across the utility value chain
- Learn from the regional success stories and journeys that are shaping partnerships and progress in a connected, AI-powered future
2 Days of Immersive Learning & Networking
30 +
Sessions
50 +
Utilities
150 +
Executives
Register for WE3 East 2026
May 12 - 13, 2026
Duke Energy Headquarters - 525 S Tryon St, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28202, US
AI TransformationKey Themes of Discussion
- Scaling AI Innovation for Impact
- The Rise of Vertical AI
- Connected Experience Platforms
- Grid & Infrastructure Modernization
- Next-Gen AI Customer Experiences
- Connecting eMobility & Utilities
- Digital Trust & Security in a Connected Utility World
- Smart Water Management: AI-Enabled Efficiency
- The Future Workforce: Skills, Roles & AI Integration
- Leading Change: Innovation, Leadership & Culture
- Building Resilience in an Uncertain World
- Future-Proofing Utility Business Models
Event Schedule
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Pre-Event Kick Off Reception
An exclusive WE3 East North America Pre-Event Networking Dinner, an evening of great conversation, stunning views, and exceptional dining in the heart of Charlotte.
Perched on the 21st floor of the iconic Hearst Tower, Fahrenheit Charlotte is renowned for its breathtaking panoramic skyline views of downtown Charlotte - the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable evening with industry peers and leaders.
Venue : Fahrenheit Charlotte, 222 S Caldwell St, 21st Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Registration
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Opening Address – The Age of People + AI: Utilities at the Center of Global Transformation
People + AI represents the idea that the best outcomes come from collaboration between human expertise and artificial intelligence. In this opening keynote, Deepak Garg and Michael O’Donnell will explore how the convergence of People + AI is reshaping the energy and utilities industry. They will share perspectives on how human expertise combined with AI-driven intelligence is enabling utilities to build resilient infrastructure, accelerate digital transformation, and deliver smarter services to communities worldwide.
Deepak Garg
Michael O'Donnell
9:00 AM- 9:20 AM
Executive Keynote – Leading Through the Energy Inflection Point: Scale, Speed, Intelligence and AI-Led Transformation
From grid modernization to AI-led operations, Duke Energy's executive team reflects on the decisions, bets, and breakthroughs defining what it means to lead a major utility through an era of unprecedented transformation.
Jessica L. Bednarcik
9:25 AM- 9:45 AM
Keynote - The New Standard for Utility Connected CX: How Duke Energy is Moving Beyond Systems to Intelligent Experiences
Duke Energy is redefining what customer experience means for a modern utility - moving beyond fragmented systems and siloed data toward connected, intelligent experiences that anticipate needs, resolve issues proactively, and meet customers in the moments that matter most.
During this session, learn how Duke Energy and SEW.AI's partnership is turning that vision into reality - combining deep utility expertise with vertical AI to deliver personalized, data-driven engagement at enterprise scale.
Gwen McCarthy
Andy Jones
9:50 AM – 10:30 AM
Panel Session – From Technology to Digital Transformation Office: The Expanding Role of Technology Leaders in Energy + Utilities
Technology in utilities is no longer a back-office function - it's the engine of transformation. This panel brings together senior technology executives to explore how utilities are building Digital Transformation Offices, aligning IT with business strategy, and positioning technology leadership as a core driver of innovation, customer experience, and operational resilience.
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Power Break – Conversations & Connections
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
CXO Panel – The New Energy + Water Mandate: Reliability, Affordability & Trust
The utilities that will define the next decade are those that treat reliability, affordability, and trust not as trade-offs - but as one mandate.
This CXO panel gathers executive leaders from the nation's leading energy and water utilities to share how they are delivering on all three, simultaneously, and at scale.
11:35 AM – 12:05 PM
Fireside Conversation – AI in the Front Office: How Customer Experience is Becoming Intelligent, Not Just Digital
Going digital was the first step. Going intelligent is the next frontier. This fireside conversation explores how leading utilities are moving beyond self-service portals and chatbots toward AI-powered front offices that anticipate customer needs, personalize every interaction, and transform customer service from a cost center into a competitive advantage - where every touchpoint is informed by data, every response is proactive, and every experience feels effortlessly human.
12:05 PM – 12:15 PM
Partner Spotlight – Building Trusted Digital Platforms for the Modern Utility
In this Partner Spotlight, a leading solution provider will showcase how utilities can build trusted digital platforms for the modern utility. The 15 min conversation will highlight how AI-powered, integrated platforms break down silos, unify operations, and enhance both customer and workforce experiences - enabling reliable, cost-effective, and future-ready energy and water services.
12:20 PM – 12:30 PM
Partner Spotlight – The Next Utility KPI: Customer Trust
A 15 min partner spotlight where a leading solution provider will explore how customer trust is becoming the next key performance indicator for utilities. The session will showcase how AI-driven platforms and data insights help utilities enhance transparency, improve customer experiences, and deliver reliable, cost-effective energy and water services that strengthen long-term trust and engagement.
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Executive Lunch & Future Exchange
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Real AI vs Hype AI – Why Vertical AI Will Define Energy & Utilities’ Future
This session will cut through the noise of AI hype to explore the transformative potential of Vertical AI in energy and utilities. Experts will discuss how industry-specific AI - not generic solutions - can deliver real value by optimizing grid operations, predictive maintenance, and workforce efficiency, helping utilities separate marketing buzz from actionable intelligence that drives measurable results.
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
People + Platforms – Reinventing Utility Marketing, Communications & Customer Outreach
What does success look like after implementing a digital CX platform? Leading utilities are showing that technology alone isn’t enough - by combining AI-driven insights with strategic marketing, communications, and targeted outreach, they are connecting with millions of users and consistently garnering five-star customer ratings. This session will highlight real-world examples of how utilities turn digital platforms into personalized, engaging experiences that build trust, improve satisfaction, and strengthen long-term customer relationships.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Utilities Voices – Innovation Stories from the North America East Coast
This 30-minute session will highlight innovation stories from North American utilities, showcasing how organizations on the East Coast are successfully leveraging digitalization to transform operations, customer engagement, and workforce efficiency. Attendees will hear real-world case studies illustrating practical applications of AI, CX platforms, and integrated digital solutions, offering actionable insights on driving measurable impact and modernizing utility operations in a complex and rapidly evolving energy landscape.
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Power Break – Conversations & Connections
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
AMI 2.0+ Customer Intelligence +Workforce + Grid – Operating as One Connected Energy & Utility Platform
Customer. Workforce. Grid. For decades, these were three separate conversations inside a utility. Today, the most forward-thinking utilities are collapsing those boundaries - building connected operating models where AMI data fuels customer insights, grid intelligence informs workforce dispatch, and every layer of the organization moves as one. This session explores what it truly means to operate as a single, intelligent energy and utility platform.
4:20 PM – 4:40 PM
Affordability in Action: Reimagining Low Income Utility Programs for a New Era
The utilities leading on affordability share a common belief: that serving every customer well - regardless of income - is not a compliance checkbox, but a defining expression of community trust and purpose.
As energy and water costs evolve, leading utilities are reimagining low-income assistance programs from the ground up - using AI-driven targeting, proactive outreach, and seamless digital enrollment to reach customers earlier, remove barriers to access, and deliver meaningful financial relief to the communities that depend on them most. This session showcases what bold, intelligent, and compassionate affordability looks like in action.
Patricia King
Harish Raju
Jamie Wimberly
4:40 PM - 5:00 PM
From Grid Edge to Customer Edge: Unlocking Value from eMobility & DER Integration
This session will explore how utilities can unlock value by connecting the grid edge to the customer edge through eMobility and distributed energy resources (DER) integration. Leaders will discuss strategies for managing distributed generation, electric vehicle charging, and flexible loads, highlighting how coordinated operations can optimize energy usage, improve reliability, and create new opportunities for customer engagement and grid efficiency.
5:00 PM
Closing Ceremony
THOUGHT LEADERSSpotlight on Leadership
-
Deepak GargChairman/Founder/Co-CEOSEW.AI
-
Jessica L. BednarcikSenior Vice President, Customer Services OperationsDuke Energy
-
Naresh RangineniDirector, Web & Data Engineering Duke Energy
-
Gwen McCarthySenior Product ManagerDuke Energy
-
Tim RamsdenGM - Customer Technology PlatformDuke Energy
-
Andy JonesCX Strategy ConsultantDuke Energy
-
Thomas LordChief Information OfficerUGI Utilities
-
Michelle FerraraChief Information OfficerArizona Public Services
-
Valerie L. EdenVice President of Customer ExperienceThompson Gas
-
Retha HunsickerFormer Senior Vice PresidentDuke Energy
-
Jamie WimberlySVPE Source
-
James HannisChief Architect NiSource
-
Adam SlaytonDirector, CX Business TechnologyDominion Energy
-
Michael O'DonnellCo-CEOSEW.AI
-
Sarah PrangeCX ManagerCity Utilities of Springfield
-
Patricia KingManager of Community Engagement PECO Energy
-
Manish AnandManaging DirectorPwC
-
Jayant KumarCEOL&T Digital Energy Solution
-
Brad AdamskeChief Growth OfficerSEW.AI
-
Harish RajuChief Product Solution OfficerSEW.AI
VENUE
Duke Energy Headquarters
525 S Tryon St, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28202, US
12 - 13 May, 2026
WE3 East
(North America)
Summit 2026
SponsorsWE3 East (North America) Summit
Iconic Moments From WE3 2025
WE3 East Recap 2025
Last April in Richmond, Virginia, WE3 East (North America) 2025 brought together utility leaders from organizations including Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Georgia Power, DTE, Alliant Energy, and Liberty, spotlighting how Vertical AI and connected platforms are driving real transformation.
Looking ahead to WE3 East (North America) Summit 2026, the focus shifts to deeper execution, enterprise-wide adoption, and peer-led collaboration as utilities scale what works.
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Where People and AI Unite to Transform Energy, Water, and the World
WE3 isn’t just a summit — it’s a global movement turning strategy into action across utilities and beyond. For over five years, WE3 has brought together utility CEOs, policymakers, technologists, and forward-thinkers — all united by a single mantra: Engage. Educate. Empower.
This is where human leadership meets intelligent systems.Where big challenges find real solutions.And where the future of energy and water is built — together.
WE3 is the only global event that brings together energy and utility leaders with AI experts to solve real problems — together. It’s not about buzzwords or big speeches. It’s about sharing ideas, learning from each other, and finding practical ways to use AI and human insight to improve how energy and water reach communities. If you want to be part of a community that’s making change happen — not just talking about it — WE3 is where you need to be.
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