Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel Rejects AI Adoption for Its Own Sake

Berkshire Hathaway will not adopt artificial intelligence merely for its own sake, CEO Greg Abel said during the company's annual shareholders meeting.

This cautious stance signals a departure from the aggressive AI integration seen across many S&P 500 companies. By prioritizing tangible business value over technological trends, Abel is maintaining the conservative investment philosophy long associated with the firm.

Speaking on May 2, 2026 ^[2], Abel said that the company's approach to innovation is driven by utility rather than hype. He said that any implementation of the technology must be additive to the existing business units to justify the investment.

"It has to be additive to our businesses. We’re not going to do AI for the sake of AI," Abel said.

While Abel is skeptical of using AI as a corporate gimmick, he acknowledged the technology's role in driving demand for other sectors. Specifically, he highlighted the impact of AI-driven data centers on the energy sector. Abel said the company's utility business is expected to grow 50% over the next five years due to these data-center AI opportunities ^[1].

This projection suggests that while Berkshire may not be building its own AI models, it intends to profit from the infrastructure required to power them. This strategy allows the conglomerate to capture the growth of the AI boom without assuming the operational risks of implementing unproven software across its diverse holdings.

"Any adoption must deliver clear business value," Abel said.

The comments come as investors continue to monitor how the company transitions its leadership and evolves its technological strategy. Abel's focus remains on the fundamental metrics of business value and sustainable growth, avoiding the volatility often associated with tech-sector speculation.