Artificial Intelligence is often discussed as a tool for sustainability.
It can help electricity networks balance supply and demand. It can identify water leaks. It can support farmers in making more informed decisions about irrigation. It can improve transport planning and reduce unnecessary journeys.
But there is another side to the conversation.
AI systems depend on computing infrastructure, and that infrastructure requires electricity, equipment and water. As the use of AI grows, so does the need to think carefully about the resources behind it.
The European Commission estimates that data centres currently account for around 1.5 per cent of global annual electricity use, with consumption expected to rise significantly by 2030. Data centres can also require substantial amounts of water for cooling.
This does not mean that AI and sustainability are in conflict. It means that sustainable AI needs to consider the full picture.
The question should not simply be whether an AI application can make a process more efficient. We should also ask how much energy the technology requires, what infrastructure supports it and whether its overall environmental impact has been considered.
This creates an interesting learning opportunity for vocational educators.
SUSTaiN explores both the opportunities and responsibilities associated with AI. The foundational resources within the SUSTaiN Starter Kit introduce learners to AI while also considering its limitations and environmental impact.
This gives educators an opportunity to move beyond a simple view of technology as either good or bad.
A useful classroom activity might ask learners to compare the resources used by an AI system with the resources it could potentially save. Another could explore how responsible choices around technology might differ between agriculture, transport, water management and energy.
These are increasingly important questions for future professionals.
Sustainable innovation is not about using as much technology as possible. It is about choosing technologies carefully, understanding their impacts and using them where they can create genuine value.
That is the kind of informed thinking SUSTaiN aims to encourage.
Source: European Commission, Energy performance of data centres.