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Sustainability

Developing sustainable Gen AI

Report from the Capgemini Research Institute

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Developing Sustainable Gen AI, a new report from the Capgemini Research Institute, highlights the environmental impact of generative AI (Gen AI) and provides a roadmap for developing sustainable Gen AI practices.


As more organizations incorporate Gen AI into their processes, the technology’s environmental footprint needs to be considered. Yet, according to the report, only 12% of executives confirm that their organizations measure Gen AI’s footprint, and just 20% rank the environmental footprint of Gen AI among the top five factors when selecting or building models.

By processing large volumes of data quickly, Gen AI enables organizations to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, boost growth, and accelerate innovation. However, these valuable advantages come at a cost that goes beyond the monetary. The reliance on processing large amounts of data means the technology requires enormous computational power, which in turn has a significant environmental impact.

The production of graphics processing units (GPUs), which are essential for Gen AI, involves mining rare earth metals, which contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Data centers used by Gen AI also consume significant amounts of energy and water for cooling purposes, and frequent hardware upgrades further stress natural resources.

Developing Sustainable Gen AI is based on a survey of 2,000 senior executives from organizations with annual revenue above $1 billion and which have Gen AI initiatives underway. Of these executives, 48% believe their use of Gen AI has increased GHG emissions. Furthermore, 42% of executives are relooking at their climate goals due to Gen AI’s growing environmental footprint.

Shifting perspective on sustainability with Lewis Richards, CSO, Microsoft, UK

Despite only 12% of organizations measuring Gen AI's environmental impact and 20% prioritizing it, its rapid data processing enhances customer experience, optimizes operations, drives growth, and fosters innovation. Tune in to the Cloud Realities Podcast!

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Businesses are beginning to incorporate sustainability measures into the Gen AI lifecycle, but so far, only 31% of executives say their organization has taken steps in this direction. As Gen AI models become more complex and pervasive, careful management of both financial and environmental costs will be crucial to scalability.

The report sets out a roadmap for creating responsible Gen AI for sustainable business value, which includes:

  • Identifying the right technology to address the business needs
  • Assessing and mitigating environmental impact
  • Investing in the right use cases to accelerate sustainable business value
  • Developing data and technology foundations
  • Governing for sustainability.

Download the report to find out how your organization can balance technological advancement with environmental responsibility.

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Further reading

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Leading sustainability

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Harnessing the value of generative AI: 2nd edition

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Meet our experts

Cyril Garcia

Cyril Garcia

Group Executive Board member, Head of Global Sustainability Services and Corporate Responsibility
Cyril has more than 25 years of experience in consulting in the fields of services, the public sector, utilities, and telecommunications. In 2018, he launched the new Capgemini Invent brand, whose mission is to support decision-makers in defining and implementing the future of their organizations. In addition to his responsibilities at Capgemini Invent, Cyril took over in 2019 the management of sector strategy and social and environmental responsibility of the Capgemini group.
Etienne Grass

Etienne Grass

Managing Director at Capgemini Invent France
Etienne serves as the Managing Director of Capgemini Invent for France. Having joined the Capgemini Group in 2017, he dedicated his initial four years to the Public Services sector in France and later expanded his scope globally within Capgemini Invent. Prior to his current role, he played a pivotal role in leading the BLEU sovereign cloud project for the entire Group.
Anne-Laure-Thieullent

Anne-Laure Thibaud (Thieullent)

Head of AI/ Gen.AI & Analytics Global Practice, Capgemini
Choosing the right technology for the right usage is key, but how your company should change the way it acts around data is vital. My passion is to bring technology, business transformation and governance together and take our clients to where they want to be as Intelligent Enterprises, while cultivating the values of trust, privacy and fairness.
Vincent Charpiot

Vincent Charpiot

Expert in Business Development, Sales Strategy
Steve Jones

Steve Jones

Expert in Big Data and Analytics
I help clients to deliver IT estates which look like the business, evolve like the business and are costed in line with the value they deliver.  Working with business and IT leaders, I help organizations take control of their master data and align its governance to its business value.
Chris Scheefer

Chris Scheefer

Vice President & North America Intelligent Industry Lead, Capgemini
Liz Lugnier

Liz Lugnier

Analyst Relations Director: Sustainability, Innovation, Customer Experience, Consulting, Consumer Products and Retail, Automotive, Europe
Liz is the host of the Future Sight podcast. She has experience in a multitude of industries, including innovation, customer experience, consulting, sustainability, retail and consumer products, automotive, and the public sector.
Dr. Dorothea Pohlmann

Dr. Dorothea Pohlmann

CTO Sustainability, Capgemini Engineering
As Chief Technology Officer Sustainability, Dorothea is responsible for advising clients on business and engineering transformation projects. Her focus is on the development of sustainable products, assessing their impact on business and planet, adapting circular economy, integration of innovation, and leveraging digital technologies (such as quantum, digital twins, AI and ML) to accelerate our clients’ transformation from ambition to action. She holds a Ph.D. in Physics and works for more than 15 years at Capgemini.
Vincent-de-Montalivet

Vincent de Montalivet

Senior Director – Sustainability Transformation, Data & AI Portfolio, Capgemini
Vincent leads the Global Sustainability Practice for Data & AI Portfolio along with North America Sustainability GTM. With a background in Sustainability Strategy, Engineering and Architecture, Vincent has been instrumental in driving sustainability digitalization efforts and transformation programs within major organizations across industries while ensuring tangible business outcomes.