How can we accelerate sustainability?
Accelerating Sustainability and Energy Innovation with AI
Over the last year, we’ve experienced AI’s potential for sustainability in action. In our latest report, we share recent innovations and actions at Microsoft to help unlock the possibilities of AI for accelerating sustainability progress around the world.
“The world needs every tool at its disposal, and the potential of AI to accelerate sustainability is already being realized."
Shaping tomorrow:
5 innovations for our sustainable future
Changing the game for sustainability
Amy Luers, Senior Director for Science and Innovation at Microsoft, explains how Microsoft projects are helping to fill gaps in data about ecosystem health and makes her sustainability predictions for 2025.
Progress on the road to 2030
Sustainability stories
Protecting wheat from climate-related threats
Supporting rainforest health in the Amazon
Green building materials lower embodied carbon in datacenters
AI has the power to transform industries and uplift communities
Invest in AI to accelerate sustainability solutions
The play: AI requires focused investments to take on challenges like decarbonization, water management, and biodiversity restoration.
The progress: Microsoft is investing in building AI tools, such as MatterGen and MatterSim, so that researchers can design and test materials with tenfold greater accuracy and vastly faster performance. We’re also investing in AI foundation models, such as Aurora, which predicts global weather and atmospheric processes with increased accuracy and at speeds up to 5,000 times greater than current forecasting systems. And we’re building AI-enabled tools so that stakeholders can more effectively and efficiently manage agriculture and water resources and to expedite licensing processes for carbon-free electricity.
Develop digital and data infrastructure for the inclusive use of AI for sustainability
The play: AI needs reliable data and digital infrastructure to ensure it can be applied inclusively and efficiently for sustainability.
The progress: We’re creating tools to fill critical data gaps, which can enhance AI models for better measuring and predicting complex systems, such as biodiversity and climate. For instance, Solar-Powered Acoustic and Remote Recording Observation Watch (SPARROW) captures images and acoustic recordings to gather data on biodiversity and ecosystem health in remote areas. Additionally, we’re partnering with G42 on a $1 billion digital ecosystem initiative in Kenya.
Minimize resource use, expand access to carbon-free electricity, and support local communities
The play: Enhancing the sustainability of AI infrastructure requires minimizing resource use, optimizing the integration of renewable energy, and supporting local communities.
The progress: Microsoft is innovating datacenter development with low-carbon materials, like cross-laminated timber. Through an agreement with Brookfield, we aim to add 10.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy to the grid.
Advance AI policy principles and governance for sustainability
The play: AI, supported by strong policies and governance, can ensure responsible use and alignment with global sustainability goals.
The progress: We advocated for policies that accelerate grid decarbonization, including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) transmission rules and provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States. We also continue to advance AI governance within Microsoft and globally.
Build workforce capacity to use AI for sustainability
The play: AI-driven sustainability solutions require an AI-fluent and sustainability-fluent workforce who have the specialized skills to apply towards sustainability challenges.
The progress: The Microsoft Philanthropies Skills for Social Impact program trained over 14 million people in digital and AI skills to support a workforce ready to deploy AI for sustainability.
