In a constantly changing world, the importance of pursuing sustainable development has never been more significant. As we operate to tackle urgent global issues, the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable development offers unique possibilities for advancement. AI’s extraordinary abilities have the capacity to transform the way companies pursue the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). AI can drive positive transformations, from improving societal welfare and economic expansion to environmental conservation. 

As the primary catalyst behind technologies such as big data, robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence stands out as the most ubiquitous emerging technology in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. According to Sustainability Magazine, it represents computer systems capable of perceiving their surroundings, processing information, acquiring knowledge, and taking action based on their perceptions and predefined goals. This technology functions by processing extensive datasets and leveraging the knowledge gained from these data to perform or support various daily human tasks. Key sectors heavily leveraging AI encompass healthcare, education, marketing, retail, e-commerce, financial markets, and services.

Artificial Intelligence can transform all three key dimensions of ESG activities, namely environmental, social, and economic.

Cultivating Triple Bottom Line Sustainability: AI for Companies

Environmental Sustainability with AI

As the drive to cut emissions, consumption, and environmental footprint intensifies, everything is up for consideration. Businesses are exploring ways to reshape their business models by giving prominence to sustainability within their fundamental operations in response to the increasing expectations of stakeholders and environmentally conscious consumers. However, businesses need help to accomplish this.

The journey towards achieving net zero emissions commences when an organisation possesses the ability to oversee, monitor, and disclose its carbon footprint, energy transition objectives, and ESG data. Companies aiming to contribute positively to the environment while safeguarding their financial sustainability require a well-balanced blend of strategic alliances and technology infused with artificial intelligence to implement their sustainability objectives effectively.

AI can assist businesses in their dedication to environmental sustainability through the following means, as described by Quantilus innovation:

1. Energy Efficiency Optimisation: It can contribute to the improvement of energy efficiency in facilities and enterprises by forecasting energy use patterns and optimising energy consumption. It can also identify areas of energy waste and recommend practices to reduce it.
    

2. Sustainable Supply Chain Management: It can revolutionise supply chain management by supplying helpful insights to specify sustainable suppliers, ameliorate transportation routes, and decline emissions.
    

3. Waste Reduction and Recycling: It can help improve waste management by analysing waste production, collection, and disposal data, helping cities and municipalities optimise their systems, reduce waste, and boost recycling rates. 
    

4. Carbon Footprint Reduction: It can support addressing climate change by examining data on greenhouse gas emissions. This way, AI has a role in informing policies and processes for lessening emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change. 
    

5. Water Conservation and Management: It can also benefit water management by checking water usage, quality, and availability data. This usage can aid cities and municipalities in managing their water resources, reducing water waste, and improving water quality.

Social Sustainability with AI

In today’s corporate environment, the utilisation of AI technologies has become indispensable for companies aiming to strengthen their commitment to social sustainability. By integrating artificial intelligence into their operations and procedures, organisations can efficiently bolster key aspects like diversity and inclusion, employee welfare, volunteerism, training and growth, and equitable labor standards. AI can provide businesses with the ability to have a significant impact in these domains:

1. Embrace Diversity and Inclusion 

2. Support Employee Well-being 

3. Encourage Employee Volunteering 

4. Invest in Employee Training and Development 

5. Ensure Fair Labor and Wages  

Economic Sustainability with AI

Incorporating the capabilities of AI in today’s competitive business environment empowers organizations to attain economic sustainability through enhanced efficiency and growth. Businesses can improve resource allocation, streamline processes, optimize supply chain management, enhance customer experiences, and foster sustainable practices by integrating AI across diverse operations. Ways in which AI can contribute to businesses achieving financial sustainability are presented below: 

1. Optimizing Resource Allocation 

2. Automating Processes 

3. Enhancing Supply Chain Management 

4. Improving Customer Experience 

5. Supporting Sustainable Practices 

Challenges and Sustainability Risks posed by AI and what is done to address these risks.

AI represents a rapidly evolving technology that is transforming various sectors, including sustainability. With its capacity to improve effectiveness, reduce waste, and stimulate innovation, AI is crucial in tackling environmental issues and guiding us towards a sustainable future. Nevertheless, AI comes with potential dangers and obstacles. AI can reverse the environment’s degradation or be used in an unethical way, creating bias and inequality if left unguided. For instance, some nations still need AI access and do not have the same personal, social, and environmental opportunities. In that sense, despite AI’s many benefits, it is also giving rise to inequality.  

The tremendous computation needed to obtain AI’s remarkable technological feats comes at a price. Training artificial intelligence models is associated with substantial financial and environmental fees due to the energy necessary to execute such computations. On top of the economic costs of hardware, electricity, and cloud computing time, powering such hardware for an extended period can also result in a huge carbon footprint. Hence, it is essential to guarantee its responsible and ethical usage. 

Six Sustainability Risks Posed by AI are mentioned by 2030 BUILDERS, which are presented in the table below:

Potential risk	What is this risk about?	What can be done to address this risk? Best practices.
Energy consumption	The operation of AI systems necessitates a considerable amount of energy, leading to the emission of greenhouse gases.	Energy-Efficient AI: It is imperative to curb the rise in energy consumption and associated emissions proactively. Thus, striking a balance between the expansion of AI technologies and environmental sustainability is of utmost importance.
E-waste	The creation and utilisation of AI technologies have the potential to contribute to the generation of electronic waste, leading to adverse environmental consequences.	To reduce electronic waste, designing AI hardware and components with a focus on durability, repairability, and recyclability is essential.
Bias and discrimination	The utilization of biased or incomplete data in training AI systems has the potential to propagate bias and discrimination, leading to adverse social and environmental consequences. This perpetuation of inequalities can contribute to instances of environmental injustice.	Reduce bias: The responsible development of AI technologies should prioritize sustainability, fairness, and the well-being of society and the environment. It’s necessary to contain an expansive range of data and assess how conditions can vary in diverse areas.
Privacy and security	AI systems frequently depend on personal data, and inadequate protection may jeopardize individuals’ privacy and security. This situation can result in adverse effects on both social and environmental well-being.	Ethical guidelines: It is crucial to ensure the protection of privacy and security to maintain public confidence in AI systems. This includes having explicit rules about who possesses the data, how to keep it confidential, and how to use AI ethically.
Job displacement	Adopting AI technologies may result in displacing jobs, especially in sectors like manufacturing and transportation. This can potentially create adverse social and economic consequences, particularly affecting communities dependent on these industries.	When designing AI systems, it is important to give priority to diversity and inclusion, ensuring accessibility for all users regardless of their background or abilities.
Dependence on technology	With the increasing prevalence of AI, there is a potential danger of excessive reliance on technology. This could impede our capacity to foster sustainable and inclusive communities by diminishing human interaction with the natural environment and fostering social isolation.

Last but not least, it is crucial to involve all the groups impacted by AI’s results in decision-making processes. Hence, everyone will be aware of how AI functions and what data it uses.

10 ways an organization can become more sustainable by using AI, according to AIMultiple 

1. Data analysis for sustainability (ex. use of large language models like GPTs for analyzing business documents can become easier, detailed carbon footprint calculations at reduced cost, optimizing supply-chain data analysis and interpreting data by using LLMs, detecting easier scope 3 risks). 

2. Sustainable agriculture (ex., agricultural robotics, weather monitoring, land management, and crop and animal monitoring).

3. Preparedness for natural disasters (ex., flood warnings and forest fires). 

4. Biodiversity monitoring (ex., better habitat analysis, more precise guesses on wildlife and species, and real-time analysis of climate change’s impact on animals). 

5. Fighting air pollution (ex. real-time warnings and predictive models).

6. Less defective production (via AI-enabled computer vision systems).

7. Better leak detection in production (via AI-powered computer vision).

8. Safer workplace (via AI-enabled computer vision systems like Smart cameras). 

9. Reduced energy consumption  

10. Optimized and sustainable logistics (Route optimisation systems).

Industry-specific uses of AI for sustainability by TechTarget 

AI can lessen the carbon footprint of enterprises of all kinds. And even if it were to expand some costs for those enterprises in the short term, there would likely be several long-term reductions and other advantages, including augmented brand reputation and customer loyalty. Let’s dive into different industries:

• Retailers: in this field, AI can optimize energy usage in shops and lessen transport emissions for the delivery of products. 
   
• E-commerce companies: AI can ameliorate shipping routes and reduce emissions from delivery vehicles. 
   
• Telecom companies: AI-based data analysis can be used for predictive upkeep. The same method can increase network efficiency and reduce energy consumption. 
   
• Tech companies: AI can be used to optimize data center energy consumption and emissions. 
   
• Merchandisers throughout the food supply chain: AI and analytics can be used to foretell demand, reducing food losses and waste. 
   
• Fashion industry: because this field suffers from high return rates and returned clothing ultimately ends up in landfills, AI-driven consumer analysis can provide demand forecasting and stock management to avoid waste.

It is evident that the road to sustainable business strategies is paved with Artificial Intelligence. As AI technologies grow, their part in driving sustainable business strategies will become even more influential. Nevertheless, in the march towards a promising future, it is essential to recall that while AI can guide us on the path to sustainability, the journey is collaborative. 

EcoSkills is well-versed in the most recent developments in ESG and sustainability news and trends. If you’re keen to learn about Artificial Intelligence to render your company more sustainable, our latest course, Sustainability Intelligence: An Introduction to AI in Sustainability/ESG Practices, is designed to help you understand all the essential definitions and applications of AI.