Wayne Manuel on AI
From Schweitzer Drive | Episode 75 – Wayne Manuel · · Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL)
“We have an advanced decision support system that considers over 3,700 variables including weather forecast, water level, flow, energy and gas market prices to optimize generation and maintenance schedules for our hydro facilities. This product uses AI techniques and runs many times per day providing near real-time schedules.”
On , Wayne Manuel, Vice President, Chief Information Officer & Chief Security Officer at AVISTA CORP, spoke about AI during Schweitzer Drive | Episode 75 – Wayne Manuel on Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL).
About Wayne Manuel
Wayne Manuel, vice president, chief information officer, and chief security officer at Avista, discussed the utility’s use of artificial intelligence in a September 2025 podcast. He stated that Avista upgraded its IVR phone system to a cloud-based AI platform, which he said improved call resolution from 50% to 63%. Manuel also described AI-enabled cameras at mountain-top locations that detect smoke and fire, and an advanced decision support system that uses AI to optimize generation and maintenance schedules for hydro facilities by considering over 3,700 variables. He noted that Avista formed a generative AI workgroup, initially with restrictions to manage risk, but later shifted to focusing on approved use cases. Manuel reported observing an eight-fold improvement in specific tasks for one security analyst using digital assistants, while other staff saw no improvement. He said a digital code software assistant led to a 60% reduction in time for writing software. Manuel acknowledged that AI hallucinations are a real issue and that accuracy of data will be a differentiator. He predicted that within one to three years, AI will shift technology interactions from keyboards to conversational interfaces.