2025 in review – AI and sustainability

In 2025, the relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainability moved from hypothetical to unavoidable. What had once been framed as a promising alignment – AI as an enabler of climate action, efficiency, and smarter systems – became a more contested, nuanced debate. 

Across the year, a clear picture emerged: AI’s sustainability impact is neither inherently positive nor negative, but deeply shaped by governance, energy systems, and corporate choices.