Iberdrola to invest €1.6 billion in R&D and AI through 2028

Iberdrola reaffirmed a €1.6 billion R&D&I plan for 2025-2028 at its Digital Summit 2026 in Madrid, tying the spending to electrification, digitalisation and operational efficiency. The company also said it has more than 300 AI projects underway across the business.

Why it matters: - Iberdrola is linking capital spending on research and digital tools to a broader push to accelerate electrification. - The investment is aimed at building a more efficient, sustainable and resilient energy model. - More than 300 AI initiatives suggest Iberdrola is moving beyond pilot projects toward scaled operational use.

What happened: - Iberdrola reaffirmed a €1.6 billion R&D&I investment plan for 2025-2028. - The announcement came during Digital Summit 2026 at Iberdrola’s corporate campus in San Agustín del Guadalix, near Madrid. - The event marked the twelfth edition of the summit, organized by Iberdrola’s IT leadership. - The summit ran under the theme “EnergIA que transforma.”

The details: - Iberdrola said innovation is embedded across its value chain, with data and digitalisation positioned as key enablers. - The company described electrification as a strategic priority that depends on infrastructure, investment, technology and new digital ways of working. - Iberdrola said the summit is designed to strengthen digital culture, showcase strategic projects and build innovation skills among employees. - The event brought together internal teams and external partners to discuss emerging technologies and deployment challenges. - Speakers included representatives from Microsoft, Google, IBM, ABB, Plain Concepts, Gestamp and BYD. - An experiential area featured demonstrations from AWS, NTT Data, Capgemini, EY, Salesforce, SAP, Minsait and Tecnalia. - Iberdrola said discussions covered AI deployment at scale, data governance, cybersecurity, customer experience, industrial robotics and quantum technologies. - The company said it has more than 300 AI projects underway. - Those projects focus on growth, productivity, operational efficiency, service quality and energy-system resilience. - Iberdrola said its AI rollout is supported by business-process redesign, talent development and technology designed for quality, security and resilience. - The company also highlighted robotics and applied AI solutions across different business units. - Iberdrola pointed to responsible AI governance, international recognition and partnerships with AWS and Microsoft as part of its scaling strategy.

Between the lines: - Iberdrola is presenting digitalisation as a core operating strategy, not a separate IT initiative. - The company is framing AI as a practical tool for moving from experimentation to execution in an asset-heavy industry. - The mix of utility, tech and industrial speakers shows Iberdrola wants the summit to signal both ambition and execution discipline. - The emphasis on governance and resilience suggests the company is trying to scale AI without weakening security or reliability.

What's next: - Iberdrola will continue rolling out AI use cases across its businesses as part of the broader R&D&I plan. - The company is expected to use the summit and similar forums to align teams, share learning and accelerate adoption. - Iberdrola says the combined push on electrification, innovation and AI is intended to improve productivity and long-term competitiveness.

The bottom line: - Iberdrola is treating AI and R&D spending as part of the same transformation agenda: build more electrification, more efficiency and more operational resilience at the same time.