IFS Copperleaf has introduced IFS Copperleaf Next, a new version of its asset investment planning (AIP) platform designed for organizations that manage critical infrastructure, including electric utilities, transportation agencies, water providers and energy companies.

According to the company, the platform expands its existing Copperleaf Value Framework with new capabilities intended to help organizations address increasingly complex capital investment decisions. The release comes as utilities and other infrastructure operators face challenges including aging assets, electrification, climate resilience initiatives, regulatory requirements and affordability pressures.

IFS Copperleaf said the new platform is designed to help organizations evaluate more information, respond more quickly to changing conditions and provide greater transparency into investment decisions while keeping human oversight of AI-generated recommendations.

Among the new capabilities announced are:

• Regulatory Intelligence, developed with HData, which connects regulatory information with capital planning to support rate case preparation, responses to information requests and updates to investment plans as regulatory requirements change.
• Foresight Compose, an AI-assisted, no-code tool for creating and managing Value Frameworks, intended to reduce the need for specialized development resources while maintaining governance and auditability.
• Business Case Assistant, developed in collaboration with Siemens, which uses AI to help identify potential investments, draft business cases and reduce the manual work required to prepare projects for planning. The company said AI-generated recommendations are clearly identified for expert review.

IFS Copperleaf also shared feedback from an asset investment planning leader at a North American utility, who said the platform could help reduce the manual effort associated with regulatory filings and improve the quality and defensibility of investment decisions as the technology evolves.