AI
and
environmental
sustainability
might
not
seem
like
the
most
obvious
pairing,
but
Pamela
Isom
is
here
to
prove
otherwise.
As
the
founder
and
CEO
of
Izabayte
Consulting,
Pamela
has
spent
her
career
at
the
intersection
of
technology,
governance,
and
safe
digital
transformation.
She
joined
me
for
a
conversation
that
opened
my
eyes
to
the
powerful
ways
AI
can
drive
sustainability
—
and
the
work
it
takes
to
make
AI
itself
more
sustainable.
Let’s
dive
into
the
insights
from
our
discussion.
Spoiler
alert:
AI
has
a
lot
more
to
offer
than
you
might
think,
but
it
also
comes
with
a
carbon
footprint
that
can’t
be
ignored.
Watch
the
full
conversation
here:
AI
and
Environmental
Sustainability
What
Does
Sustainability
Have
to
Do
With
AI?
Pamela
broke
it
down
simply:
-
Advancing
Sustainability
Goals:
AI
can
be
a
powerful
tool
for
meeting
an
organization’s
environmental
and
social
objectives.
Whether
it’s
improving
climate
predictions
or
optimizing
energy
use,
AI
is
already
making
a
difference. -
Making
AI
Itself
Sustainable:
AI,
especially
large
language
models,
is
energy-intensive.
From
data
center
power
usage
to
computing
demands,
we
need
to
ensure
the
tools
helping
us
don’t
create
their
own
environmental
challenges.
As
Pamela
put
it,
“Every
organization
should
have
sustainability
goals,
and
AI
can
either
help
meet
those
goals
or,
if
used
poorly,
work
against
them.”
How
AI
Is
Saving
the
Planet
(Or
At
Least
Trying)
Pamela
shared
some
fascinating
examples
of
AI
in
action,
proving
that
it’s
already
an
unsung
hero
in
the
sustainability
space:
-
Real-Time
Environmental
Monitoring:
AI-powered
models
are
helping
predict
weather
patterns,
track
climate
shifts,
and
even
detect
pollutants
in
the
air
and
water. -
Search
And
Rescue
Missions:
Thermal-imaging
drones
equipped
with
AI
have
been
used
to
locate
missing
individuals
in
challenging
terrains,
saving
lives
in
the
process. -
Energy
Optimization:
AI
aids
in
identifying
renewable
energy
sources
and
even
simulating
weather
events
to
evaluate
their
impact
on
energy
grids.
For
example,
simulating
a
hurricane’s
effects
helps
communities
prepare
for
and
mitigate
infrastructure
damage.
She’s
also
excited
about
using
AI
to
sort
through
complex
research
data,
identifying
actionable
insights
in
areas
like
renewable
energy
faster
than
any
human
team
ever
could.
“AI
lets
us
cut
through
the
noise
and
get
to
the
data
that
matters,”
Pamela
explained.
The
Roadblocks
To
AI
In
Sustainability
Despite
these
incredible
possibilities,
Pamela
acknowledged
that
not
everyone
is
on
board.
Here’s
what’s
holding
organizations
back:
-
Lack
Of
Awareness:
Many
leaders
don’t
see
how
AI
fits
into
their
sustainability
strategy. -
Trust
Issues:
Generative
AI’s
reputation
for
“hallucinating”
(aka
making
things
up)
has
some
decision-makers
doubting
its
reliability. -
Resource
Challenges:
Implementing
AI
solutions
takes
time,
money,
and
expertise
—
luxuries
not
every
organization
has.
But
Pamela
is
a
problem-solver.
“Start
with
education,”
she
advises.
“Help
your
team
understand
why
sustainability
matters
to
them
personally.
When
people
see
the
value
for
themselves,
they’ll
support
the
broader
mission.”
What
About
AI’s
Carbon
Footprint?
We
can’t
talk
about
sustainability
without
addressing
AI’s
own
impact
on
the
environment.
Pamela
didn’t
shy
away
from
the
uncomfortable
truth:
AI
consumes
a
ton
of
energy.
Training
large
language
models
can
use
as
much
energy
as
hundreds
of
homes
over
a
year.
That’s
…
a
lot.
But
there
are
ways
to
do
better:
-
Build
Smaller
Models:
Pamela’s
AI
agents
are
designed
to
handle
specific,
targeted
tasks,
reducing
energy
use
without
sacrificing
utility. -
Optimize
Prompts:
Long
prompts
eat
up
more
computing
resources.
Keep
it
concise
and
focused
for
a
more
sustainable
interaction. -
Smarter
Data
Centers:
Transition
to
renewable
energy
sources
and
distribute
workloads
to
off-peak
times.
As
she
explained,
“Even
small
adjustments
—
like
writing
efficient
prompts
—
can
make
a
big
difference.”
Innovations
That
Inspire
Hope
Despite
the
challenges,
Pamela
remains
optimistic
about
the
future
of
AI
and
sustainability.
Some
of
the
innovations
she’s
most
excited
about
include:
-
Climate
Resilience
Tools:
AI
is
being
used
to
model
how
extreme
weather
events
like
hurricanes
and
wildfires
impact
energy
grids,
helping
communities
prepare
and
respond. -
Accessible
Solutions:
AI-driven
tools
like
text-to-audio
and
personalized
learning
platforms
are
making
sustainable
practices
more
inclusive
and
actionable
for
everyone.
“These
are
the
kinds
of
advancements
that
make
me
excited
to
get
up
in
the
morning,”
Pamela
said
with
a
smile.
What
Leaders
Can
Do
Today
For
nontechnical
leaders
wondering
how
to
make
an
impact,
Pamela
has
some
simple
but
effective
advice:
-
Ask
The
Right
Questions:
When
working
with
vendors,
ask
how
they’re
incorporating
AI
responsibly
and
sustainably. -
Educate
Yourself
And
Your
Team:
Sustainability
starts
with
awareness.
Invest
in
understanding
how
AI
can
fit
into
your
goals. -
Experiment
With
Sustainability
Prompts:
Tools
like
ChatGPT
can
help
you
brainstorm
ways
to
meet
sustainability
goals
—
just
don’t
forget
to
keep
those
prompts
efficient!
Pamela’s
parting
words
were
simple
but
powerful:
“Pick
one
goal
from
the
UN’s
17
Sustainable
Development
Goals.
Just
one.
Then
ask:
How
can
AI
help
me
achieve
this?”
It’s
a
great
reminder
that
the
intersection
of
AI
and
sustainability
isn’t
just
for
tech
wizards
or
environmental
activists.
It’s
a
space
where
every
leader
—
and
every
organization
—
can
make
a
difference.
Watch
the
full
conversation
here:
AI
and
Environmental
Sustainability
So,
what
goal
will
you
tackle?
The
future
of
AI
and
our
planet
might
just
depend
on
it.
Olga
V.
Mack
is
a
Fellow
at
CodeX,
The
Stanford
Center
for
Legal
Informatics,
and
a
Generative
AI
Editor
at
law.MIT.
Olga
embraces
legal
innovation
and
had
dedicated
her
career
to
improving
and
shaping
the
future
of
law.
She
is
convinced
that
the
legal
profession
will
emerge
even
stronger,
more
resilient,
and
more
inclusive
than
before
by
embracing
technology.
Olga
is
also
an
award-winning
general
counsel,
operations
professional,
startup
advisor,
public
speaker,
adjunct
professor,
and
entrepreneur.
She
authored Get
on
Board:
Earning
Your
Ticket
to
a
Corporate
Board
Seat, Fundamentals
of
Smart
Contract
Security,
and Blockchain
Value:
Transforming
Business
Models,
Society,
and
Communities. She
is
working
on
three
books:
Visual
IQ
for
Lawyers
(ABA
2024), The
Rise
of
Product
Lawyers:
An
Analytical
Framework
to
Systematically
Advise
Your
Clients
Throughout
the
Product
Lifecycle
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024),
and
Legal
Operations
in
the
Age
of
AI
and
Data
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024).
You
can
follow
Olga
on
LinkedIn
and
Twitter
@olgavmack.