AI for Sustainability: challenges and opportunities

The final day of the 24^ edition of the Executive Profession Sustainability Course focused on the dialogue between artificial intelligence and sustainability, exploring how digital technologies can support the sustainable transformation of companies. A topic that is no longer futuristic, but already fully at the center of the developments of many Italian and international companies, regardless of the regulatory aspects regarding reporting that are animating the debate, especially at European level.

At the opening, Matteo Pedrini, director of ALTIS, explored many of these aspects with a speech in which he highlighted the opportunities and risks of the changes taking place: "Artificial intelligence is certainly a challenge with important social and environmental impacts but, at the same time, it is an opportunity if it is put at the service of sustainability. Thanks to the use of AI, an organization's social and environmental initiatives can benefit in terms of efficiency and effectiveness in all phases of project management."

Pedrini's reflection continued by also referring to the research conducted in collaboration between Sustainability Makers and ALTIS, which shows that "to date, the social and environmental risks of AI implementation in the company are not fully managed, a lack of skills suitable for the implementation of this technology and increasing experimentation by companies". 

Precisely with regard to the experiments, the research confirmed that "the organizational units dedicated to sustainability are experimenting with useful solutions based on AI in a widespread way (6 out of 10 companies) and in particular the first applications concern data collection and analysis processes for business decisions and reporting activities".

The subsequent round table, which saw the interventions of Elena Busetto, Regional Sustainability Manager and Corporate Sustainability of Medtronic and Roberto Tassi, Business Development SBU Sustainability of Var Group, was a particularly interesting networking moment, thanks also to the involvement that each participant in the Course addressed to a colleague from another company function. A fundamental element, since the role of the sustainability manager interconnects with all areas of an organization and requires the construction of transversal alliances to address common challenges and pursue shared goals.

The afternoon, which ended with the ritual photo, was full of further ideas with the immersive experiential activity "AI Climate Change VR: Eye in the Storm", curated by Professor Andrea Gaggioli. Networking among the participants in this edition of Professione Sostenibilità will continue with the initiatives of the Alumni group.