C3 AI agents to automate Shell predictive maintenance

Shell plans to expand its use of C3 AI software by adding autonomous agents that can help automate predictive maintenance across its operations. The company already uses the C3 AI Reliability Suite to monitor more than 30,000 critical assets in upstream and downstream activities. According to the report, the new agentic AI layer is designed to move beyond basic anomaly detection. When the system spots an issue, it can investigate the likely cause, prepare work orders, check inventory for required parts, and generate procurement requests. Human operators will still be able to approve or override recommendations. The goal is to shorten the time between identifying a potential equipment problem and carrying out a repair. Shell and C3 AI say that could reduce unplanned downtime, improve safety and efficiency, and support more targeted maintenance decisions. The companies describe the rollout as an extension of an existing AI partnership built on Microsoft Azure.