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Episode 1020

AI Needs Power: Duke Energy CIO on Fueling the Future of Data Centers

October 16, 2025
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About the Guest

Richard Donaldson

SVP & Chief Information Officer of Duke Energy
Richard Donaldson is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Duke Energy, a Fortune 125 company with over $30 billion in annual revenue. A 24-year veteran of the company, Richard assumed the CIO role in early 2024 and leads the company’s enterprise digital strategy, IT infrastructure, operations, and AI enablement efforts. He previously held leadership roles across application development, operations, and cybersecurity, giving him deep insight into Duke’s complex, vertically integrated business. Richard is a key figure in the utility’s customer modernization and AI governance initiatives, driving innovation that spans both internal operations and national energy infrastructure.

Episode Overview

What happens when the CIO responsible for powering AI also has to manage its energy demands?

Richard Donaldson, SVP & CIO of Duke Energy, joins Technovation to discuss the unique position utilities now face: supporting exponential growth in data center power needs while simultaneously using AI to optimize grid performance, customer experience, and internal operations.

In this episode, Richard and Peter explore:

  • The intersection of AI and national energy infrastructure
  • How one data center can require as much power as a nuclear reactor
  • Strategies for responsible AI rollout and internal enablement
  • Customer journey innovation in a highly regulated industry
  • Why the utility CIO role is now central to digital transformation

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“We’ve got to get smarter about the way we use AI, because AI isn’t an easy button. It’s built on data and process."

- Richard Donaldson, SVP & CIO of Duke Energy
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