Shaping the Future of AI or How a Sustainability Mindset Can Lead to Responsible Innovation

Join Our Expert Panel Discussion on September 26 to Explore Practical Approaches for Integrating Sustainability into AI Development

While in recent years, we are constantly in awe of all the ways in which AI continues to transform industries, the environmental and ethical implications of its development have come to the forefront. 

We all know that the deployment of AI results in significant energy and resource costs, which contribute to the environmental degradation that we are unfortunately facing. From the environmental impact of data centres to the water and energy consumption, prioritising sustainability from the early design phases of AI development has become paramount for the minimisation of the overall environmental impact, including considering the full lifecycle of AI systems, from hardware manufacturing to deployment. 

Some possible solutions have already been proposed and introduced, albeit not at the scale at which we need them to be to reduce the adverse impact. Some of them include:

• Developing algorithms that require less computational power can reduce energy consumption during training and inference.

• Transitioning data centres to renewable energy sources like wind, solar, or hydropower can help offset the carbon emissions from running AI models.

• Optimisation of existing infrastructure of AI systems to use less power by improving model efficiency, reducing redundancies, and using hardware accelerators designed for low-power AI processing.

• Prioritising sustainability from the early design phases of AI development can help minimise the overall environmental impact, including considering the full lifecycle of AI systems, from hardware manufacturing to deployment.

The successful and continuous integration of these solutions, however, requires the development of a sustainability mindset in the industry, which is the tricky part.

This is the tricky part, as the challenges to this are multifold and multi-faceted. To begin with, organisations face the challenge of reducing energy usage without sacrificing the performance or capabilities of AI models. Moving towards more energy-efficient algorithms and greener infrastructure is technically complex and often costly in the short term.

Furthermore, developing a sustainability mindset requires specialised knowledge about energy-efficient computing, carbon footprints, and sustainable AI practices, which many teams currently need to improve. There often needs to be a skills gap in combining AI expertise with sustainability-focused strategies.

Last but not least, organisations are under constant pressure to innovate rapidly and deploy cutting-edge AI technologies. However, focusing on fast growth and innovation often takes precedence over long-term sustainability.

One of the core challenges is to balance the desire for rapid AI advancement with the slower, deliberate process of integrating sustainable practices, such as optimising algorithms, minimising energy use, and reducing waste.

And, as we are deeply intrigued by the topic of how we go about this mindset shift towards sustainable AI, we have invited a panel of experts to join us for a panel discussion titled “Developing a Sustainability Mindset for AI,” taking place online on September 26, 2024, at 11:00 IST (UTC+1) and you are invited as well!

About the panellists.

• Yasmine Hamdar – AI Policy Specialist at UNDP
  Yasmine Hamdar is an AI Specialist at UNDP, dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence for good and advancing sustainable development. Prior to her current role, she served as a Technical Manager at Data-Pop Alliance, a think tank established by Harvard and MIT, where she led various AI-driven initiatives. Yasmine also has experience as a Machine Learning Engineer, during which she collaborated with Google Impact to develop an AI-powered water preservation system for the MENA region. She holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computer Science with a specialization in AI from the American University of Beirut.

• Veerappan Swaminathan – Founder and Director of Sustainable Living Lab
  Veera’s extensive experience spans sustainability challenges through foresight methods, community development, and technology. With advanced degrees in Intellectual Property Management and Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore, Veera is the recipient of the NEA Eco-Friend Award 2016, a representative of Singapore at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2018, and was also awarded the Joseph Jaworski Next-Gen Foresight Asia Special Award by the UK-based School of International Futures in 2018. The United Nations Global Compact has acknowledged Veera as an SDG Pioneer 2023 for using business to advance and advocate for all 17 SDG goals. Veera is an executive member of the Climate Action SG Alliance and a panel member of the Lotus-NUS Fund.

• Mohamed Elhafiz Ahmed – Lead Data Scientist at Siemens Energy
  Mohamed is an expert in Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a versatile academic background in engineering, sustainability and economics. His work focuses on developing solutions that enhance efficiency and optimize resources for company's internal functions as well as external customers. Driven by a passion for leveraging data to make a positive impact; Mohamed is committed to advancing sustainable practices through innovative AI solutions.

• Frederik Gylling – Sustainability CoE Lead at Microsoft (2023)
  Frederik’s role in Microsoft's sustainability initiatives, focusing on ESG compliance, sustainable AI practices, and strategic technology partnerships has been instrumental.With a background in supply chain, digital business, and finance, Frederik has extensive experience working in AI startups, as well as in consulting and lean production. His commitment to sustainable leadership is further reflected in his roles as a Global Leadership Challenge member with the University of Oxford, an advisor at the GreenTech Alliance, and his selection as Leader of Tomorrow at the St. Gallen Symposium for two consecutive years.

Whether you’re an AI expert, an educator, or someone passionate about technology's future, this is an excellent opportunity to engage with experts and contribute to shaping the conversation around responsible AI.

During the panel, you'll have the chance to:

• Engage with leaders in AI who are pioneering sustainability practices.

• Learn diverse approaches to integrating sustainability into AI strategies.

• Contribute to a discussion that will help shape the ethical and environmental future of AI.

Don’t miss this chance to influence the trajectory of AI and drive meaningful progress toward a more sustainable and responsible future for this technology.

Register now to secure your spot and join the conversation that is shaping the future of AI! We look forward to seeing you there.

Kind regards,

The Lighthouse Projects Programme Team