AI IN SUSTAINABILITY
“Developing and deploying small language models and right-sized AI tools can be a smarter choice of resource optimisation”
SUBHAGATA MUKHERJEE VP, GLOBAL HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY, NOKIA
SUBHAGATA MUKHERJEE: To address sustainability concerns associated with AI, there are several things we can do.
Developing and deploying AI models that are energy-efficient reduces the carbon footprint associated with their operation. For example, selecting energy-efficient hardware and optimising algorithms can lead to significant energy savings. Developing and deploying small language models and right-sized AI tools can be a smarter choice of resource optimisation for specific purposes.
Conducting comprehensive assessments of AI systems’ environmental impacts throughout their life cycle, from development to deployment, can identify and mitigate negative effects.
Establishing guidelines and frameworks to ensure AI is used responsibly, transparently and ethically can minimise potential societal harms.
GUNTHER ROTHERMEL: AI alone won’ t solve sustainability, but it can expedite and scale outcomes. At SAP, we are embedding SAP Business AI across our portfolio, including our sustainability solutions. By doing that, we can calculate carbon footprints down to the individual product level quickly and accurately and generate sustainability reports faster to ensure compliance with regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. In fact, SAP Business AI reduces the time needed to collect relevant ESG metrics by 98 % and cuts report writing time down by 85 %. In addition, we can help customers find the most efficient LLM for their needs, which often means the one that uses the least energy.
Our customer Martur Fompak International( MFI) is a top supplier of vehicle seats and interiors and leverages AI powered technology to enable real-time, eco-conscious material choices. MFI uses an AI-powered mobile app that suggests more than 3,000 options for sustainable seat fabrics based on a reference image. They also track and reduce CO₂ emissions across the entire value chain 50 times faster than before.
“ AI alone won’ t solve sustainability, but it can expedite and scale outcomes”
GUNTHER ROTHERMEL CO-GM AND CPO FOR SUSTAINABILITY, SAP
174 April 2025