Behind AI lies a big paradox: it can be used to optimize our critical resources, from water to our Critical Raw Minerals (CRMs), to electricity. AI can both optimize resources and strain them, as its energy and water use often offset its efficiency gains. The question for businesses is then: How do you stay competitive with AI while keeping sustainability at the core?
During the Future of Work conference, organized by Lyreco on June 18th, 2026, which we as sustAIn.brussels attended, a panel was hosted to address this pressing question. The speakers gave a few clear answers.
First, start by identifying where AI delivers the most value, both in terms of ROI and environmental impact. Prioritize applications that align with your business values, such as using AI in robotics rather than across all operations. In some cases, alternative technologies may be more sustainable. If you want to learn more about whether you should use AI for your company, read our previous article on the topic.
Second, keep track of your environmental footprint while using AI. This allows you to adapt quickly if significant environmental concerns arise during your AI trials. It’s also important to have in-house expertise to monitor these factors and alert you to any critical issues.
Finally, by embedding sustainability directly into your business model, you remain more competitive and resilient compared to your competitors. By doing so, you prepare yourself for any challenge coming from climate change and environmental disasters. It sends a clear message to your customers: your business is taking meaningful steps toward sustainability, in line with European values.[OA1] For example, the panel highlighted MAD (Make a Difference) Drinks, a beverage company that empowers consumers to make a positive impact, both for themselves, by offering healthy refreshments, and for the world, by donating 5 cents from each can sold to charity. MAD Drinks have embedded sustainability throughout their whole business lifecycle, from their ingredients to their materials, to the causes they support; sustainability is of utmost importance to them, and you can feel it.
The key for SMEs regarding sustainability and AI is the following: Balance AI’s benefits with its ecological footprint and prioritize use cases that reduce net emissions. This way, you embed sustainability from the start and decide which tradeoffs are important for your business, and which are not.
As a startup or SME, make sure to think beyond productivity with AI. Implementation is important but doing so sustainably will lead the path to future, long-term success, rather than a short-lived one. The choice is yours: Will you lead the change, or be left behind by it?
🖋️Alexandra Osintseva
Sustainability: AI’s Hidden Costs and Opportunities