Sustainability has become a byword in today’s business-driven world and companies are scrambling to ensure that they reduce their carbon footprint and do their bit for the planet. It is as much a requirement to avoid pushback from their stakeholders as much as it is about caring for the environment. And while in the past sustainability initiatives were designed around very tangible measures that could be taken with the planet in mind, such as opting for cleaner energy sources in the workplace and reducing the use of paper, now sustainability initiatives have become more digitized.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has contributed to this process by providing us with a range of tools to ensure efficacy in sustainability. This has quite changed the way in which companies can work on their sustainability today, by making it possible to ensure more quantitative results.
AI-powered sustainability
Artificial Intelligence is an excellent tool for monitoring and maintaining sustainability mechanisms implemented in various areas of business such as infrastructure. Such tools can help organisations to see how and where their infrastructures need updating, changing and maintenance. For example, AI can find out potential problems with energy and resolve the issues before they are aggravated, such as by tabulating how much energy is being used at various parts of the production process and providing solutions to reduce the larger consumption areas.
Moreover, companies use supply chains for the delivery of both raw materials and then the finished products. So, why not use AI for supply chain sustainability? The ability to access real-time data will ensure that there is no over-supply of raw materials and also see the delivery of the final product on time. All this results in a reduction of waste through the saving of time, money, fuel and raw materials.
The uses of AI are endless, really. Its tools can be used across various industries. In the travel industry, for instance, AI can efficiently predict weather patterns and warn potential travellers before they book their trips, saving them and their travel agents both time and money and ultimately reducing their carbon footprint by preventing the customer from having to travel a second time due to missed opportunities and also preventing harm to the traveller as well.
The digital revolution that is enhancing sustainability
The COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst behind placing many processes and their pitfalls in perspective. When lockdowns prevented people from leaving their homes, companies needed to think of innovative ways to still keep driving consumer needs. And that’s when AI stepped in to do many tasks that would have otherwise required travel and the use of fuel. As an example, vehicle manufacturers began using 3D experiences to enable potential customers to inspect new vehicles up-close and learn about their specifications without leaving their homes before making the purchase decision. The same kind of experiences drove many industries to keep on going because AI enabled the creation of material such as eco-friendly packaging, communication mechanisms such as Chatbots and optimized delivery that used the best and shortest routes that reduced wastage.
This also increased customer trust. When blockchain is used across supply chains, then customers will know exactly where their goods are at any point of the delivery process and they are able to trust the transparency of the process.
Digital libraries are gaining in popularity too. While companies like Amazon and Goodreads may still make most of their sales on physical books, their marketing of e-reader devices in the backdrop of environmental sustainability is now gaining traction. This sets the stage for fewer trees to be felled for want of paper and once again reduces supply chain problems and carbon emissions. Digital reading is a great way for writers to reach their target audiences, sell their work and save the environment at the same time.
Furthermore, along with the pandemic also came the need for remote workspaces, which led to digitized workspaces. This saw a reduction in the use of overheads such as electricity, pens, paper, fuel, and much more while also enabling face-to-face meetings even with customers so that the personal communication element still remained in the work process.
There’s no turning back
We have made such headway in the digital and Artificial Intelligence space that it is both exhilarating and frightening at the same time. The latter is because I often wonder how we will manage if our digital platforms fail in some apocalyptic nightmare scenario. But that is no reason to give up on the digital world. Instead, there is so much being done to increase business and individual sustainability through such tools that we cannot undermine how important they have become in our lives.
The era of pens, papers, desks and travelling for work is phasing out, whether we like it or not. Digital technology and AI are here to stay. And while these may come with their fair share of troubles, one cannot deny that the positives outweigh the negatives. It is a given that people worry about the loss of jobs through the digital revolution. However, this also creates new job opportunities and we must be ready to adapt. At the same time, businesses should strike a balance between human work and digital tools so that we never undervalue human contribution in our everyday life spaces. Sustainability means not only caring for the long-term preservation of our environment but also the protection of human beings and placing their best interests at the heart of every decision-making process.
(Anouk De Silva)