As organizations strive to balance productivity, innovation and environmental responsibility, the need for sustainable IT practices is even more pressing. A new global study from the IBM Institute for Business Value reveals that emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, can play a pivotal role in advancing sustainable IT initiatives. However, successful transformation of IT systems demands a strategic and enterprise-wide approach to sustainability.
The power of generative AI in sustainable IT
Generative AI is creating new opportunities to transform IT operations and make them more sustainable. Teams can use this technology to quickly translate code into more energy-efficient languages, develop more sustainable algorithms and software, and analyze code performance to optimize energy consumption. 27% of organizations surveyed are already applying generative AI in their sustainable IT initiatives, and 63% of respondents plan to follow suit by the end of 2024. By 2027, 89% are expecting to be using generative AI in their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of IT.
Addressing the broader implications
Despite the growing interest in using generative AI for sustainability initiatives, leaders must first consider its broader implications, particularly energy consumption. 64% say they are using generative AI and large language models, yet only one-third of those report having made significant progress in addressing its environmental impact. To bridge this gap, executives must take a thoughtful and intentional approach to generative AI, asking questions like, “What do we need to achieve?” and “What is the smallest model that we can use to get there?”
A holistic approach to sustainability
To have a lasting impact, sustainability must be woven into the very fabric of an organization, breaking free from traditional silos and incorporating it into every aspect of operations. Leading organizations are already embracing this approach, integrating sustainable practices across their entire operations, from data centers to supply chains, to networks and products. This enables operational efficiency by optimizing resource allocation and utilization, maximizing output, and minimizing waste.
Benefits of a holistic approach
The results are telling: 98% of surveyed organizations that take a holistic, enterprise-wide approach to sustainable IT report seeing benefits in operational efficiency—compared to 50% that do not. The leading organizations also attribute greater reductions in energy usage and costs to their efforts. Moreover, they report impressive environmental benefits, with two times greater reduction in their IT carbon footprint.
Hybrid cloud and automation: key enablers of sustainable IT
Many organizations are turning to hybrid cloud and automation technologies to help reduce their environmental footprint and improve business performance. By providing visibility into data, workloads, and applications across multiple clouds and systems, a hybrid cloud platform enables leaders to make data-driven decisions. This allows them to determine where to run their workloads, thereby reducing energy consumption and minimizing their environmental impact.
Automation and sustainability
Automation is also playing a key role in this shift. With 83% of leading organizations harnessing its power to dynamically adjust IT environments based on demand.
Sustainable IT strategies for a better tomorrow
The future of innovation is inextricably linked to a deep commitment to sustainability. As business leaders harness the power of technology to drive impact, responsible decision-making is crucial, particularly in the face of emerging technologies such as generative AI.
Actions to consider
- Actively manage the energy consumption associated with AI: Optimize the value of generative AI while minimizing its environmental footprint by actively managing energy consumption from development to deployment. For example, choose AI models that are designed for speed and energy efficiency to process information more effectively while reducing the computational power required.
- Identify your environmental impact drivers: Understand how different elements of your IT estate influence environmental impacts and how this can change as you scale new IT efforts.
- Embrace sustainable-by-design principles: Embed sustainability assessments into the design and planning stages of every IT project, by using a hybrid cloud platform to centralize control and gain better visibility across your entire IT estate.
Conclusion
As the world continues to evolve, it is essential for organizations to prioritize sustainability and responsible decision-making. By adopting a holistic approach to sustainability, leveraging generative AI, and embracing hybrid cloud and automation technologies, businesses can drive innovation while minimizing their environmental footprint.
FAQs
Q: What is the role of generative AI in sustainable IT?
A: Generative AI can be used to transform IT operations and make them more sustainable, such as translating code into more energy-efficient languages and developing more sustainable algorithms and software.
Q: Why is a holistic approach to sustainability important?
A: A holistic approach to sustainability enables operational efficiency by optimizing resource allocation and utilization, maximizing output, and minimizing waste.
Q: How can organizations reduce their environmental footprint?
A: Organizations can reduce their environmental footprint by adopting sustainable-by-design principles, actively managing energy consumption associated with AI, and identifying their environmental impact drivers.
Q: What is the future of sustainable IT?
A: The future of sustainable IT is inextricably linked to a deep commitment to sustainability, responsible decision-making, and the adoption of emerging technologies such as generative AI.
