This episode of the think ahead podcast looks at how AI can be part of the solution to the global environment crisis. Julian Birkinshaw and Jean Pauphilet discuss the ways in which AI has the potential to be a central component of the solutions to reduce our environmental footprint. The discussion explores how AI tools are being applied to cleaning up plastic from the oceans, weather forecasting, industrial processing, decreasing carbon emissions and using satellite data to find the answers and pathways to meet environmental challenges.

While AI may be a key to the solution, its large-scale adoption is not harmless to our environment and comes at a significant financial cost. What do we need to consider in using AI to find solutions to achieving environmental and sustainability goals?

Julian Birkinshaw is Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Vice-Dean at London Business School and Jean Pauphilet, Assistant Professor of Management Science and Operations at London Business School.