ORLEN is seeking partners for AI. It wants to implement it from the energy sector to refineries.
ORLEN has launched a call for companies specializing in artificial intelligence. The conglomerate is not looking for a ready-made solution but rather partners with whom it can pursue further AI projects in energy, manufacturing, mining, and internal processes. This represents another step in the group’s digitization efforts, which have already included collaborations with Microsoft, Google Cloud, and AWS.
In short:
ORLEN has launched a call for companies specializing in artificial intelligence
The conglomerate is seeking partners to work on additional AI projects
AI will be used to advance energy, manufacturing, mining, and internal processes
This is another phase in the group’s digitization, following previous partnerships with Microsoft, Google Cloud, and AWS
ORLEN is looking for innovative companies
ORLEN has begun seeking additional companies to help it develop and implement solutions using artificial intelligence. The company issued an RFP to entities with experience in both creating AI tools and deploying them in large organizations.
This is not about purchasing a single system. ORLEN aims to establish framework agreements with a group of partners, enabling it to launch more projects across various business areas more quickly. The call for proposals is open to both large technology companies and integrators, as well as smaller specialized firms and research and development organizations.
– AI is already changing the way the largest companies operate today. At ORLEN, we want to use this technology to improve efficiency, speed up decision-making, and develop new business models. That’s why we are seeking partners with practical experience in implementing artificial intelligence solutions. We are particularly interested in Polish technology companies that have the expertise and solutions to compete in the global market – said Robert Soszyński, ORLEN’s Vice President for Operations.
From generative AI to plant data analysis
The scope of initiatives is broad. ORLEN mentions generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced data analytics, data science, and mathematical modeling. Experience in integrating such tools with existing information systems is also important.
The solutions can be applied in four major business areas: Energy, Downstream, Upstream, and Corporate Functions. This means potential uses in the energy sector, refineries and petrochemicals, oil and gas extraction, as well as in finance, document analysis, or administrative processes.
“ORLEN’s AI projects address real business and operational challenges, which is why we are looking for partners with practical experience in data handling, system integration, and implementing solutions in large organizations. We see great potential here also on the part of Polish technology and research and development companies,” added Michał Furman, Executive Director for Digital Transformation and IT.
The framework agreement format is designed to allow the corporation to move more quickly from identifying a specific problem to launching a project, without having to restart the entire vendor search process each time.
This initiative preceded ORLEN’s IT industry Supplier Forum in Katowice in May. Several hundred representatives from technology companies attended, where they learned about the group’s plans, procurement processes, and formal terms of cooperation.
ORLEN Has Already Engaged with AI
The new initiative is not the start of the company’s interest in artificial intelligence. Over the past few months, ORLEN has entered into several agreements with major technology firms.
In July 2025, it began collaborating with Microsoft. The plan included using Microsoft Copilot and Agentic AI, developing cloud services, cybersecurity, and data analysis. Among the identified applications were analyzing regulatory changes, financial control, processing information on global oil and gas markets, and supply chain logistics.
In September 2025, ORLEN signed an agreement with Google Cloud covering data platforms, analytics, data science, and the use of AI in energy and retail sectors.
In May 2026, cooperation with Amazon Web Services was also expanded. This includes migrating systems to the cloud, developing cloud native applications, as well as using machine learning and data analysis across various parts of the group.
The current RFP, however, has a different focus. Instead of working with a single provider for a specific platform, ORLEN wants to build a broader network of companies that can handle specialized projects.
Drones, forecasting, and industrial data
Some AI applications within ORLEN Group have already moved beyond the conceptual stage. The company has reported, among other things, on using autonomous drones and image analysis algorithms to patrol infrastructure and detect safety-related incidents.
Another application is predictive analytics. ORLEN has utilized it, for example, to forecast the operating time of pyrolysis furnaces between successive coking processes. Such tools can analyze data from sensors and equipment operation history to help identify deviations earlier or plan maintenance more effectively.
A similar approach is seen in ORLEN Skylight Accelerator, a program aimed at startups. One of this year’s rounds included a challenge to develop a tool that connects technical documentation with real-time data from industrial installations.
The system would automatically collect and organize information from instructions, reports, and technical documentation, then compare it with parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow rates, or energy consumption. Based on this, it is possible to create predictive models and analyze various operating scenarios for the installation.
Startups and Collaboration with Academia
Skylight Accelerator is the second channel through which ORLEN seeks technologies outside its own organization. By March 2026, over 1000 startups from Poland and abroad had applied to the program, and the company has launched more than 40 pilot projects.
These applications were not limited to AI. Tests were conducted on intelligent identification of railway tank cars, a system that optimizes connectivity at electric vehicle charging stations, tools for predicting wind turbine productivity, and an energy management system that integrates batteries, photovoltaics, and dynamic pricing.
ORLEN is also expanding its cooperation with research institutions. In May 2026, it began working with the IDEAS Research Institute on projects related to AI, education, and bridging scientific research with business applications.
The new initiative is part of several parallel efforts: cooperation with major cloud and software providers, projects with startups, connections to academia, and building a network of partners capable of implementing specific solutions within ORLEN Group companies.
So far, the company has not disclosed how many partners it plans to select, the value of future contracts, or which projects will launch first. It is known, however, that the required skills extend far beyond generative AI and chatbots — they also include industrial data analysis, mathematical modeling, machine learning, and the integration of systems used in energy and industry.
Piotr Sobczyk