ChatGPT at Scale: Inside NextEra’s AI Strategy

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TL;DR:

• NextEra built its own internal GPT within six months of ChatGPT’s release, achieving 80-90% employee adoption across the enterprise.
• Predictive AI and machine learning have been powering maintenance, forecasting, and infrastructure decisions for over five years.
• Mubina views GenAI as “a really smart intern,” enabling people to focus on complex work while agents handle repetitive, rules-based tasks.
• Balancing innovation with regulation means leveraging digital twins and simulation to test new ideas safely inside guardrails.
• Cultural transformation is as critical as tech adoption.
• NextEra’s “AI Champions Network” helps employees learn, experiment, and lead innovation.

Before we dive into the key takeaways from this episode, be sure to catch the full episode here:

Meet Mubina - Head of Enterprise and Innovation Strategy at NextEra Strategy

Mubina Dunn leads Enterprise AI and Innovation Strategy at NextEra Energy, one of the world’s largest renewable energy companies.

Her team bridges advanced analytics, experimentation, and human-centered adoption to modernize how power is delivered, maintained, and optimized.

Before entering the energy sector, Mubina spent her early career in finance and digital transformation, eventually moving into predictive analytics and data science for critical infrastructure.

At NextEra, she helped pioneer machine learning models for proactive maintenance and later oversaw the rollout of the company’s internal GPT—now used by nearly 90% of employees.

A passionate advocate for experimentation and inclusivity in innovation, Mubina helps large organizations adopt AI responsibly, scale emerging technologies safely, and empower employees to become lifelong learners in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

From Finance to Energy Innovation

Mubina’s journey began in finance, but her curiosity led her into technology and, eventually, the energy industry.

“I actually spent the first half of my career in finance,” she says, “but it’s a little less exciting when it’s not my finances.” Her turning point came when she joined Office Depot’s mobile commerce team and discovered her passion for technology.

“I was just trying to see where I could insert myself to make a real impact,” she recalls. At NextEra, that curiosity found a mission-driven purpose. “The greater promise is to help save our earth,” says Mubina. “I’m a closet tree hugger, so that’s pretty much all I had to hear.”

Bringing AI Into Every Corner of the Enterprise

At NextEra, Mubina’s team built an internal GPT within six months of ChatGPT’s release, demonstrating how fast innovation can scale when supported by leadership.

“We’ve got somewhere in the 80 to 90 percent range of our employee base that is actively using our enterprise AI tools.” — Mubina Dunn

The use cases vary widely—from writing emails to automating full processes. “Some people are absolutely transforming an entire process or no longer having to write these emails because they have an automated system in place,” says Mubina.

By creating accessible, secure AI tools inside company guardrails, her team is proving that enterprise AI can drive efficiency without compromising safety.

Predictive Maintenance: The Original AI Use Case

Long before GenAI, Mubina’s team used predictive analytics to maintain substations and prevent outages. “We need to ensure that our substations are in tip-top shape,” she explains. “Being reactionary is not only expensive but risky.”

Her team created machine learning models that could predict when transformers needed maintenance—work that continues to this day. “Manufacturer A seems to last 50 years before issues. Manufacturer B lasts 120. We know not to wait until year 49,” she says.

This proactive approach prevents costly downtime and ensures reliability. “I still log in sometimes today to see how things are looking because I’m so proud that it’s still being used.”

Balancing Innovation and Regulation in Energy

Working in one of the most regulated sectors, Mubina emphasizes that innovation must coexist with compliance. “Energy has been around for a minute,” she says.

“There are strong processes in place because they’ve worked and we don’t want to break things.” But she believes complacency is more dangerous than experimentation.

“Letting new technologies pass us by is way more dangerous than potentially messing something up.” — Mubina Dunn

Her team uses digital twins to safely simulate outcomes before deployment. “We can carry out a simulation with zero risk within our guardrails,” Mubina explains.

“If it works, we can have an agent carry it out—and nobody has to run to the plant.”

Building a Culture of AI Literacy and Champions

Mubina attributes NextEra’s success with AI adoption to its culture. “Our executive leadership is driving AI,” she says. Even the CEO led a live demo of an assistant during a company town hall.

“If he’s doing it on stage, I definitely should have been doing that already,” she laughs. To support growing interest, her team runs monthly hands-on workshops and created an “AI Champions Network” that spotlights employee innovators. “We’ve highlighted them on our intranet,” says Mubina, “and several have transitioned their roles into something more technologically focused.”

Her approach blends top-down leadership with grassroots energy: “If it’s working for my friend, I want it too.”

“The real adoption is happening with the MGA space, brokers, and insurtechs because they know it’s a necessity to win.” — Ankur Patel

Would you like to learn more about AI experimentation? Check out this episode on top AI experimentation tips from NayaOne Managing Director.