  The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) businesses operating
within the energy sector are recognizing the increasing importance of
Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many EPC companies and their clients have
realized the benefits of applying AI to their businesses in order to reduce
manual work, drive productivity, and streamline future operations of engineered
installations in a highly competitive industry. The current AI market offers
various solutions and services to support this industry, but organizations must
understand how to acquire AI technology in the most beneficial way based on
their business strategy and available resources. This paper presents a
framework for EPC companies in their transformation towards AI. Our work is
based on examples of project execution of AI-based products development at one
of the biggest EPC contractors worldwide and on insights from EPC vendor
companies already integrating AI into their engineering solutions. The paper
covers the entire life cycle of building AI solutions, from initial business
understanding to deployment and further evolution. The framework identifies how
various factors influence the choice of approach toward AI project development
within large international engineering corporations. By presenting a practical
guide for optimal approach selection, this paper contributes to the research in
AI project management and organizational strategies for integrating AI
technology into businesses. The framework might also help engineering companies
choose the optimum AI approach to create business value.
