Harnessing cloud and AI to power a sustainable future

Organizations working toward ambitious sustainability targets are finding an ally in emerging technologies. In agriculture, for instance, AI can use satellite imagery and real-time weather data to optimize irrigationand reduce water usage. In urban areas, cloud-enabled AI can power intelligent traffic systems, rerouting vehicles to cut commute times and emissions. At an industrial level, advanced algorithms can predict equipment failures days or even weeks in advance.

But AI needs a robust foundation to deliver on its lofty promises-and cloud computing provides that bedrock. As AI and cloud continue to converge and mature, organizations are discovering new ways to be more environmentally conscious while driving operational efficiencies.

Data from a poll conducted by MIT Technology Review Insights in 2024 suggests growing momentum for this dynamic duo: 38% of executives polled say that cloud and AI are key components of their company's sustainability initiatives, and another 35% say the combination is making a meaningful contribution to sustainability goals (see Figure 1).

This enthusiasm isn't just theoretical, either. Consider that 45% of respondents identified energy consumption optimization as their most relevant use case for AI and cloud in sustainability initiatives. And organizations are backing these priorities withinvestment-more than 50% of companies represented in the poll plan to increase their spending on cloud and AI-focused sustainability initiatives by 25% or more over the next two years.

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This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Review's editorial staff.