Cognito
An AI readiness framework for electric utilities.
AI Adoption Presents Real Challenges for Electric Utilities
Cognito provides a structured, self-guided framework to assess AI readiness, clarify which problems are well suited for AI solutions, and examine the organizational, data, and risk considerations that influence successful adoption.
Electric utilities and grid operators face increasing pressure to explore AI to improve operations, planning, and decision-making, while still meeting safety, reliability & regulatory expectations. Cognito can help ensure your org is ready to take on AI, identifying gaps in data quality, availability, and governance as well as potential risks and accountability considerations.
Learn more about INL’s structured approach to understand AI readiness.
What is Cognito?
Cognito is an AI readiness framework designed to support structured evaluation and planning for artificial intelligence adoption in the electric utility sector.
Purpose
Electric utilities face increasing pressure to adopt artificial intelligence, but often lack a structured approach to assess readiness, identify appropriate applications, and manage associated risks. Cognito was developed to bridge this gap by providing a framework for evaluating AI opportunities before committing to implementation.
Whether you are an investor-owned utility, municipal utility, electric cooperative, public power authority, independent system operator, or regional transmission organization, Cognito supports informed, risk-aware decision-making aligned with the operational realities of the electric grid.
Cognito is a comprehensive AI Readiness Self-Guide Framework developed by Idaho National Laboratory’s Center for Securing Digital Energy Technology (CSDET).
Key Areas of Consideration
Cognito examines several foundational considerations, including:
- Business context and organizational readiness
- Data availability, quality, and governance
- Risk, ethics, and accountability considerations
- Implementation planning within the electric utility environment
The Cognito Framework
Cognito guides electric utilities through five steps and key questions related to AI readiness, use case alignment, risk, and implementation. After each step, the tool provides insights and outputs based on user inputs.
01
Identify Business Context
Key Questions: What business problem are we trying to solve? What capabilities and gaps define our current readiness for AI?
Map current capabilities to identify where AI can fix critical gaps, optimize processes, or enhance high-performing operations. Document specific opportunities with quantified impacts.
Deliverable: Business maturity analysis, prioritized opportunity list, and AI domain mapping
02
Align AI Use Cases
Key Questions: What should we tackle first and what are the stakes? Which use cases align with our mission while matching our risk tolerance?
Match opportunities to appropriate AI applications using a comprehensive catalog organized by consequence level (Low, Moderate, High, Highest) and technology readiness (Ready Now, Emerging, Future State).
Deliverable: Selected AI Use Cases aligned to business objectives, with defined scope and rationale
03
Analyze AI Principles
Key Questions: What do we actually have, what do we need, and what gaps require attention before proceeding?
Explore readiness through structured questions across seven critical principles: Risk Management, Data Availability, Infrastructure, Investment Capacity, Skilled Personnel, Regulatory Compliance, and Clear Objectives.
04
Implementation Planning
Key Questions: What exactly are we building and how will we implement it? What will success look like?
Develop detailed scenarios connecting current operations to AI-enabled futures. Determine build/buy/partner approach and validate resources are in place to execute.
05
Evaluate Controls
Key Questions: How will we deploy and sustain it safely? What controls and safeguards are required?
Identify appropriate safeguards across engineering, operational, and governance domains based on consequence analysis. Access framework guidance to support responsible deployment.
What’s Included in Cognito
The Cognito framework is implemented through a set of guided tools and resources designed to support each step of the readiness process.
Use Case Catalog
Provides a structured catalog of potential AI use cases relevant to electric utility operations, supporting exploration and alignment with organizational priorities.
Risk and Governance Analysis
Guides evaluation of risk, ethics, and governance considerations associated with potential AI use cases. Supports structured analysis of accountability and responsible use.
Data Readiness Assessment
Helps assess data availability, quality, and governance considerations relevant to proposed AI use cases.
Implementation Worksheets
Supports documentation of technical, organizational, and planning considerations associated with moving from assessment toward implementation.
Framework Reference Materials
Provides reference materials aligned with established standards and guidance, including the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF), NERC CIP requirements, IEC 62443, and Cyber-Informed Engineering principles.
Export and Reporting Options
Enables export of assessment results and framework outputs as PDF documents for reporting, documentation, and internal review.
Flexible Assessment Depth
Cognito is designed to support different levels of engagement, allowing utilities to begin with a foundational assessment and continue to deeper analysis as needed.
Phase 1: Foundational Assessment
Critical foundation for early AI decision-making
Provides sufficient insight to support early decision-making, internal discussions, and initial go/no-go determinations. Focuses on business context, identifying relevant AI use cases, and evaluating foundational risk considerations.
What this phase provides:
- Business maturity analysis with capability scores
- Selected AI use cases with associated risk profiles
- Quantified risk scores and initial control considerations
Phase 2: Deeper Analysis
Expanded readiness and implementation planning
Builds on Phase 1 by enabling deeper analysis of selected use cases, detailed scenario planning, complete principles assessment, and development of a full control framework to support implementation planning.
Includes everything from Phase 1, plus:
- Readiness validation across all AI principles
- Detailed implementation scenarios with defined KPIs
- Build, buy, or partner decisions with documented rationale
- Comprehensive control framework tailored to the intended deployment
Phase 1 may be completed on its own or used as a starting point for Phase 2.
Phase 2 is optional and builds on the results of Phase 1.
Who Should Use Cognito?
Cognito is designed for electric utilities and grid operators of all types and sizes that are exploring, planning, or preparing for the use of artificial intelligence.
Municipal Utilities
Community-owned utilities seeking to improve operational efficiency, service delivery, and planning through responsible AI adoption.
Electric Cooperatives
Member-owned utilities exploring AI to support cost control, reliability, and long-term system planning.
Public Power Authorities
Regional and joint action agencies evaluating AI for system planning, coordination, and shared operational services.
Independent System Operators
Market operators evaluating AI for dispatch optimization, forecasting, and market operations.
Balancing Authorities
Organizations responsible for real-time grid balance and reliability considering AI to support operational awareness and decision-making.
AI Vendors & Solution Providers
Organizations developing or offering AI-enabled products and services for electric utilities that seek to better understand utility readiness, constraints, and risk considerations.
Ready to Begin Your AI Readiness Assessment?
Begin your Cognito assessment to evaluate organizational readiness, explore relevant AI use cases, and understand key considerations for responsible implementation.
Upcoming Ways to Engage with Cognito
Availability: Public access is pending approval from the U.S. Department of Energy sponsor.
Self-Assessment Tool
Interactive Web Application
A browser-based, self-guided assessment that supports completion at your own pace with guided workflows across all five framework steps.
- Runs entirely in the browser; no data transmitted
- Progress auto-saved with flexible navigation
- Export Phase 1 or full assessment outputs
AI Readiness Workshop
Facilitated Assessment Session
A facilitated Cognito assessment experience led by INL subject matter experts to support collaborative evaluation and stakeholder alignment.
- Expert facilitation from the INL team
- Cross-functional participation
- Tailored to organizational context
Share Your Feedback
Have you participated in a Cognito workshop, demonstration, or assessment?
Your feedback helps inform future development and improvements.
- Workshop participants
- Demonstration attendees
- Assessment users