In this thought leadership presentation at Future Oil & Gas 2026, Shane McArdle, CEO of Falkor, examined what it will take for heavy asset industries to move beyond traditional “human-in-the-loop” approaches and towards more mature governance models for AI-enabled operations.
The session challenged organisations to think carefully about the infrastructure, data foundations and decision frameworks they are building today. Shane argued that AI cannot deliver meaningful value when placed on top of fragmented processes or poorly structured data. Instead, organisations need trusted platforms, connected workflows and clear visibility of how work is actually performed across assets, teams and systems.
A central theme of the presentation was decision distribution. Shane explored where AI can support or automate repeatable, statistically reliable tasks, and where human judgement must remain essential, particularly in areas involving safety, ethics, context and operational uncertainty. He also highlighted the importance of capturing not only decisions made, but also the knowledge, experience and reasoning behind decisions that are not taken.
The presentation also addressed the future workforce, showing how human expertise and AI agents can work together when supported by the right guardrails, knowledge graphs, simulation models and governance structures. Rather than framing AI as a replacement for people, Shane positioned it as a way to expand capability, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and allow experienced teams to focus on higher-value judgement.
Watch the full presentation to hear Shane’s perspective on how industrial organisations can build the foundations for safer, more scalable and more effective AI adoption in complex operational environments.
Speaker
Shane McArdle CEO, Falkor
