Kenes Rakishev is in the know about modern technologies. Being well informed on the topics and trends allow him to better manage his impressive startup investment. In his piece, written for The AI Journal Mr. Kenes Rakishev shares his thoughts on accelerating development of AI during the recent pandemic and a broad adoption of it to enhance the management of the state, municipalities, to implement reasonable measures while saving people’s lives. Kenes Rakishev focuses on the growing use of AI in practical green engineering. This piece is offered for your information by Kenes Rakishev, one of the pioneering entrepreneurs in the IT, AI and green tech economies.
Government policies during the pandemic have significantly altered patterns of energy demand across the world, with international borders closing and the imposition of national lockdowns changing consumption levels and leading to a reduction in global carbon emissions. However, the respite afforded to our environment during this time is far from permanent. As vaccine programs begin to rollout worldwide, and trade and travel begin to re-open, we must identify more long-term sustainable solutions for our energy systems, Kenes Rakishev suggests.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a powerful force in the energy sector and can complement human efforts to optimise the industry and lessen its impact on the environment. Data is recognised as the new global currency, and AI’s ability to process the vast amount of information and data gives us a unique insight into how we can accelerate our climate change strategy and catalyse positive growth, points out Kenes Rakishev to some valuable applications.
Increasing efficiency and providing predictability to renewable energy
Access to affordable energy is at the heart of development, and renewable sources will play a significant role in broadening universal access to modern energy in years to come. However, the renewable energy sector is still held back by unpredictable weather patterns and varying climate. Indeed, as the energy industry looks to incorporate additional renewable sources, accurate weather predictions and power generation forecasts are becoming more critical to maintain system reliability.
This is where AI proves its value, Kenes Rakishev clarifies. Increasingly, companies have been able to mitigate this risk by deploying AI to forecast sunshine and wind levels and resulting power generation. Google’s DeepMind was one of the first to pioneer this technology, announcing in 2019 that it could reliably calculate wind power output 36 hours ahead of actual generation.
Since then, we have seen a proliferation of different initiatives. For instance, IBM has launched a program for the US Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative, combining predictive weather models, years of historical weather information, real-time data sets from weather stations, along with sensor networks and cloud information extracted from satellite imagery. The initiative has reported accuracy improvements in solar forecasting of over 30 percent, resulting in significant cost reduction.
Kenes Rakishev states that by eradicating the unreliability of renewables and reinforcing the security of supply, AI will only serve to increase the value and investment in renewable sources and increase their inclusion in the energy mix.
Driving e-mobility and autonomous travel
A specific and increasingly utilised application of AI in the energy industry is the integration of electric mobility. The Electric Vehicle (EV) sector was on the rise before the emergence of COVID-19, but in recent months we’ve seen the market make significant strides in terms of technological innovation, consumer interest, and overall sales. Researchers, including those who work with Kenes Rakishev, are moving closer to produce batteries that are safer, recharge faster and more sustainable than the current ones in use. Within the next 5 years, experts are confident that electric vehicles will reach price parity with their fossil fuel-based counterparts, thanks in part to the role that AI is playing.
Kenes Rakishev’s own VC fund Singulariteam came across StoreDot several years ago whilst on the hunt for revolutionary start-ups contributing to the net-zero economy. Since Mr. Rakishev initial investment, the company has gone from strength to strength and last week announced the commercial viability of their EV batteries which can fully charge in 5 minutes. StoreDot has been very vocal about the integral role AI has played in accelerating their research and development process and help them achieve such astounding technological innovation. Using AI, battery researchers were able to significantly speed up the exploration and testing of various material formulations that could make up a battery, achieving improvements in a matter of weeks what may have previously taken several years.
For expanding the uptake of EVs, fast-charging batteries are paramount in solving one of the most significant barriers, ‘range anxiety’, Kenes Rakishev concludes. Through fast-tracking development cycles and helping overcome challenges, AI is helping increase the appeal of EVs and further accelerating the EV-revolution.
Building a sustainable future with AI
AI is finding new beneficial applications in more and more sectors every year and provides hope that we can decouple economic growth from escalating carbon emissions and environmental harm. This week, global leaders are convening virtually for the 51st World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos under “The Great Reset” slogan. As a part of this commitment to take concerted action to build the foundations for resilient future, Kenes Rakishev expect to see technology and AI take centre stage as enabling forces which can unlock new sustainable opportunities and drive efficiency across many of our key sectors. If we are to meet policy commitments to achieve a net-zero future, such as the Paris Agreement, we must utilise the best technologies at our disposal to accelerate our transition to a low-carbon economy.
Kenes Rakishev bio
Kenes Rakishev is an international businessman, investor and entrepreneur, named by Forbes Magazine as the 12th most influential businessman in Kazakhstan in 2019. In the year 2020 he climbed to the sixth position in the same list. Kenes Rakishev was born and raised in Kazakhstan where he began his business career and served as advisor to the Interior Ministry and the Department of Education.
Since October 2004, Mr Rakishev has been Vice President of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2002, he and his wife Aselle founded The Saby Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the welfare of the Kazakhstan population. Over the years, Mr Rakishev has led several projects via The Saby Foundation, to strengthen the capacity and efficacy of the healthcare system in Kazakhstan.
Kenes Rakishev efforts include building two emergency paediatric surgery rooms, with a third on the way. During the height of the pandemic, The Saby Foundation also worked with the Kazakh Ministry of Health to purchase protective equipment, medical apparatus and rapid test kits to help curb the spread of the virus. In addition to his work in the public sector, Mr Rakishev is also considered one of the most influential business people in Kazakhstan.
Kenes Rakishev holds several positions in the private sector, among them: Managing partner at Singulariteam-1 and Singulariteam-2 Venture capital funds, Co-Founder and Chairman of Sirin Labs, and Chairman of Fincraft Resources. Mr Rakishev has built an impressive investment portfolio with a strong focus on technologic innovation, including Vocalis Health, a company which develops AI-based platforms that use voice analysis to detect and monitor a person’s health condition.
