KBR announces a strategic investment in Applied Computing to accelerate innovation through AI in the energy and industry markets.

KBR has announced a strategic investment in the British company Applied Computing, marking a decisive step in its growth strategy focused on artificial intelligence. As part of this operation, KBR has also obtained a seat on the company’s board of directors. This investment reinforces KBR’s commitment to providing cutting-edge explainable AI solutions aimed at improving operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability in the energy, chemical, and industrial sectors.

Together, the two companies will accelerate the development of new digital products and expand AI capabilities within KBR’s global technology portfolio. KBR and Applied Computing have also entered into a multi-year joint development agreement to co-create exclusive AI products for the energy sector. The partners will integrate Applied Computing’s proprietary “Orbital” foundational model with KBR’s licensed process technologies, as well as its expertise in capital projects and supply chains, to deploy and develop new technologies throughout the energy lifecycle.

This initiative is part of a three-pronged approach covering asset operations, investment projects, and risk reduction related to next-generation technologies. This marks KBR’s first strategic investment in an AI company, aligning perfectly with its goal of transforming its offerings through technology. Applied Computing’s physics-based AI foundational model (Orbital) represents a major inflection point in the adoption of AI by the engineering sector.

KBR will further support Applied Computing through its participation on the board of directors, co-locating its teams, and leveraging its global network to accelerate its business growth.