#067 Building AI That Protects the Power Grid with Kaitlyn Albertoli

Built For This Podcast, with Carly Pepin

July 27, 2026 by

Carly Pepin

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In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Kaitlyn Albertoli, co-founder and CEO of Buzz Solutions, to explore how artificial intelligence is helping modernize one of the world's most essential but often overlooked industries: electric utility infrastructure.

Inspired by growing up in Southern California, where wildfires and power outages were a constant reality, Kaitlyn set out to solve a problem that affects millions of people. What began as a Stanford University class project has grown into Buzz Solutions, an award-winning AI company that helps utility providers inspect, monitor, and maintain critical infrastructure more efficiently, improving the safety, reliability, and resilience of the power grid.

Kaitlyn explains how Buzz Solutions uses artificial intelligence to analyze millions of infrastructure images, dramatically reducing the time required to detect potential defects while allowing engineers and field teams to focus on the highest-priority decisions. She also shares the realities of building technology for a highly regulated industry, the importance of earning customer trust, and why years of developing proprietary datasets laid the foundation for the company's success.

Throughout the conversation, Carly and Kaitlyn discuss scaling a remote-first business, building products in close partnership with customers, leading through rapid growth, and why successful AI adoption depends just as much on people, processes, and change management as it does on technology itself.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, technology leader, or simply fascinated by the practical applications of AI, this episode offers valuable insights into building customer-driven innovation that delivers meaningful real-world impact.

Key Themes

The Best Innovations Begin With Customer Problems

Buzz Solutions wasn't created because AI was exciting. It was built after extensive conversations with utility companies that all faced the same operational challenges. By deeply understanding customer needs before developing technology, Kaitlyn and her team created solutions that delivered immediate value.

AI Should Empower Experts, Not Replace Them

Kaitlyn believes artificial intelligence is most powerful when it complements human expertise. By automating repetitive image analysis, Buzz Solutions enables engineers and inspectors to spend more time making informed decisions rather than searching for issues manually.

Successful Innovation Fits Into Existing Workflows

Rather than forcing customers to overhaul their operations, Buzz Solutions focuses on integrating seamlessly with existing utility processes. Kaitlyn explains that reducing friction and meeting customers where they are often leads to faster adoption and greater long-term success.

About Kaitlyn Albertoli

Kaitlyn Albertoli is the co-founder and CEO of Buzz Solutions, an AI company helping electric utilities modernize infrastructure inspections to improve grid safety, reliability, and resilience. Since launching the company in 2017, she has led its growth and product strategy, overseeing the deployment of AI-powered visual inspection technology across transmission, distribution, and substation assets.

Recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and the San Francisco Business Times 40 Under 40, Kaitlyn is a respected leader at the intersection of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and critical infrastructure. She is a frequent speaker and author on the future of AI and its role in building smarter, safer, and more resilient energy systems.

Memorable Quotes
"We want to meet you where you're at."
"All of our innovation today is customer-driven."
"We know today that we're just scratching the surface of what's possible."

Kaitlyn Albertoli