Businesses are at a crossroads. Leaders are increasingly investing in sustainability strategies as they attempt to decarbonise at speed and navigate the path to net zero. At the same time, many are also spending vast sums on artificial intelligence (AI) with the aim of building more intelligent, efficient and cost-effective businesses.
But the transformative potential of AI comes with side effects for the environment that could undo or slow progress made towards achieving sustainability goals. Research by the Harvard Business Review shows that the training process for a single AI model requires thousands of megawatt hours of electricity and could emit hundreds of tons of carbon. This is the equivalent of the total yearly carbon emissions of hundreds of American homes.
In July, Google released a report that revealed an 86% increase in its own emissions since 2019, which the company attributed to its data centre strategy and supply chains. The report also included a worrying quote: “As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging.” Microsoft is facing the same problem. Its own sustainability report stated that emissions had soared by 29% since 2020 due to the construction of more data centres designed to optimise and support the workload of AI.
Fusion of AI and sustainability
Both companies have realised there’s a challenge that can’t be overcome if they continue to pursue this two-pronged pursuit of sustainability and AI development in isolation. “Google and other tech giants have created a new data centre climate strategy to mitigate the environmental impacts of AI,” says Gemma Branney, global director of purpose and inclusion at SThree, a specialist global recruitment partner for businesses in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics industries (STEM). “They’ve done some really bespoke hiring to find sustainable technology talent to build AI-focused decarbonisation teams.”
AI must also become part of the sustainability solution. Google is exploring how AI and machine learning could help to reduce its emissions and accelerate the race to net zero. Research by the Boston Consulting Group estimates that businesses that implement AI could achieve overall emissions reductions by up to 10%.
Historically, the tech sector and sustainability have felt like very different worlds
To achieve this convergence of AI and sustainability, businesses must become AI climate adapters. But recruiting the right talent isn’t easy. “STEM talent is already limited,” says SThree’s chief commercial officer, Jelte Hacquebord. “So, finding people in these industries that possess both AI and sustainability skills is very difficult. Businesses need to show how sustainability is core to their company’s mission to attract sustainability talent and then train them to use AI.”
This talent shortage presents a number of recruitment challenges for tech leaders. The first is how to attract climate literate talent ahead of competitors. Recent research carried out by SThree revealed that 81% of Generation Z (gen z) talent entering the workforce are choosing personal purpose at work as the main influence driving their careers. This presents an opportunity for leaders, particularly those in the technology sector, to reimagine their recruitment process.
“Tech companies must start repositioning the roles they have to include sustainable thinking within the job description,” says Branney. “Historically, the tech sector and sustainability have felt like very different worlds, but tech talent are now game changers in climate change, which we would never have associated with the industry before. We need to show young people how they can carve out an environmentally conscious career in tech.”
A sustainable culture
Culture is critical. Once sustainability talent has been hired, businesses must foster an environment that creates ongoing collaboration between AI and sustainability experts. It’s an approach Microsoft has already adopted. The company has created a sustainability board featuring representatives from every area of the business to represent their teams in sustainability.
This forum enables sustainability experts to educate AI specialists, but also makes spaces for AI talent to showcase how tech can positively combat climate change. For example, tech can enable decarbonisation by measuring climate footprints across product life cycles and supply chains, enhance predictive monitoring to limit energy usage and even optimise solar panel performance.
Employee retention is also critical to the successful convergence of AI and sustainability, ensuring the long-term success of businesses. But in the UK, research has revealed that gen z talent is more open to ‘job-hopping’ than previous generations. A report by Resume Lab found that 83% of gen z respondents described themselves as ‘job hoppers’, open to moving swiftly from one company to the another if unsatisfied.
“Retention is incredibly important,” says Hacquebord. “Tech businesses need to make sustainability integral to their overall mission and a part of every worker’s job description, so that sustainability talent isn’t marginalised.” This new generation of talent is more driven by personal values than those before them, so aligning business goals with desired characteristics will attract the right people for the team. “They need to feel connected to the business - if they don’t, they may choose to find that sense of belonging elsewhere,” says Hacquebord.
Businesses can also enhance their ability to attract and retain STEM talent by offering clear pathways for career progression. A study by Deloitte showed that growth opportunities are a top motivator for over half of gen z workers, compared to just 17% of baby boomers. “Employers need to showcase their investment in sustainability and AI so that employees can see the long term vision and understand how they can be part of that journey,” adds Hacquebord.
Businesses must also think outside the box to create new hybrid roles that straddle both disciplines. “The emerging job titles within AI, like compliance and ethics, auditors, training and explainers, are the exact same roles being recruited for in sustainability but with slightly different knowledge pools,” says Branney. “There’s an opportunity to merge these skill sets into the same role or team.” Visionary businesses that embrace this future will be sure to attract, develop and retain the most sought after STEM talent, while creating positive change.
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