AI x Sustainability

Bridging the Digital Divide to Decarbonise the Physical World

The collision of exponential technology growth and planetary limitations defines the next era of innovation. Having navigated the early days of Big Data and Machine Learning since 2012, and pivoting that technical expertise toward tangible climate impact, I occupy the rare intersection where AI strategy meets sustainable scale.

My experience, ranging from marketing developer-first technical products and growing AI services globally to executing circular economy partnerships and advising climate-action charities, provides a unique perspective on leveraging deep technology to solve the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

The Dual Challenge: AI as Accelerator and Stressor

The relationship between Artificial Intelligence and climate goals is defined by a powerful, yet contradictory, duality:

AI is a major driver of global power demand. The enablement of the data centre boom by AI is placing immense strain on electricity grids worldwide. Data consumption in the U.S. alone, which was 4.4% of electricity demand in 2023, is projected to rise dramatically, potentially hitting up to 12% by 2028 – the equivalent power draw of dozens of nuclear plants. My direct experience leading growth and exceeding revenue targets for AI services (Assistant, Browser, Cloud) places me at the heart of understanding this rapidly increasing energy need.

At the same time, AI is the critical accelerator for innovation. It is actively pulling forward energy innovation by accelerating technology development and helping to deliver crucial energy projects on time and on budget.

This forms my central hypothesis:

Thesis 1: AI Presents a Critical Dual Challenge and Opportunity for Climate Tech. AI is simultaneously a key accelerator for energy efficiency and project execution in the energy transition and a major stressor on global electricity infrastructure, necessitating a rapid, massive, and innovative scale-up of generation, storage, and transmission capabilities. The success of future climate commitments will depend on the industry’s ability to maximise AI’s accelerating benefits while rapidly mitigating its surging energy demands.

Strategic Focus Areas at the AI x Sustainability Nexus

My expertise is uniquely geared to help organisations navigate this duality across three strategic dimensions:

1. Optimisation for Immediate, Practical Wins (Applied AI)

The most accessible climate victories often come not from breakthrough science, but from applying intelligent systems to processes that are currently inefficient and stuck with the status quo. By replacing clunky internal processes and tools with simple, practical apps that connect people in the physical world, organisations can unlock more efficient and cost-effective outcomes.

My background is founded on maximising these opportunities:

  • Marketing Practical Applications: I am experienced in the strategic application of AI/Data, having been in the Big Data space and having managed marketing efforts for technical products including an ETL SaaS tool and logging software.
  • Driving Efficiency in Supply Chains: My recent work includes executing circular economy partnerships and supporting the growth of a circular food system startup, demonstrating a capacity to operationalise efficiency initiatives and move businesses toward measurable social and environmental impact.

Thesis 2: Optimisation Through Applied AI Offers Immediate, Practical Climate Wins. Applying practical AI solutions to existing, inefficient industrial processes (the “status quo”) provides necessary, immediate, and cost-effective efficiency gains that contribute significantly to global optimisation efforts.

2. Scaling Deep Tech and Grid Modernisation

The demand surge caused by AI requires fundamental infrastructure change. Hyperscalers are actively exploring on-site generation sources (including wind, solar, gas, nuclear, and geothermal) and racing to scale advanced cooling and energy storage solutions. Successfully reaching net zero requires founders to build next-generation physical systems rooted in scientific and engineering breakthroughs that can scale in the real world.

I bring the technical literacy and strategic growth expertise required to support the commercialisation of this “hard tech”:

  • Understanding Emerging Technologies: I have designed and delivered modules that equipped apprentices with an understanding of complex emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), and quantum computing.
  • Supporting Deep Climate Innovation: I currently consult with organisations like The Greenhouse and Zinc to help founders bring their climate innovation technologies to fruition and build commercially scalable businesses.

Thesis 3: The Path to Net Zero is Increasingly Defined by the Data Center-Grid Nexus. The rapid, AI-driven surge in power demand from data centers requires immediate, large-scale investment in deep tech solutions to fundamentally modernise and build out global electricity grids before they face collapse.

3. Strategic Execution for Purpose-Driven Growth

Leveraging deep tech for climate impact requires a specialised blend of technical understanding, commercial strategy, and marketing execution to bridge the gap between science and markets.

My extensive experience in high tech and data-driven marketing enables effective commercialisation:

  • Scaling Technical Products: I successfully led marketing efforts at Nexalogy (SaaS firm) and helped Snyk scale, marketing their security product to developers, leading growth in their database, and driving content and product marketing initiatives.
  • Digital Leadership: I am a data-driven marketer with experience in leveraging business strategies for social and environmental impact, building lead generation/sales funnels, and localising go-to-market strategies for millions of customers across multiple regions.
  • Commitment to Social Good: My advisory roles with tech-for-good startups (Goodsted) and climate charities (The Crowd) demonstrate a dedication to ensuring that technological success is measured not only by profit but by wider purpose and positive impact.

Your Partner at the Convergence

I offer a unique combination of technical marketing leadership (since 2012) and a committed focus on sustainable scaling to ensure AI innovation serves global decarbonisation. I am positioned to help companies:

  1. Identify where applied AI can deliver the greatest efficiency wins.
  2. Develop the commercial and growth strategies required to scale deep climate technologies.
  3. Navigate the complexity of technology while maintaining a clear commitment to environmental impact.