Is AI the solution to the social and environmental crisis, or a new weight on its shoulders?
Diego Bermudez, PhD, our Research and Impact Fellow, attended the ‘AI and the Future of Sustainability Reporting’ event at Digital Catapult on 1 April 2026. The event was a deep dive into the net impact of emerging tech. The conversation moved beyond the hype, focusing on how we bridge the gap between digital innovation and physical planetary limits.
The group heard from an incredible line-up of speakers:
✨ Redefining ‘Net Impact’: Jo Lindsay Walton (Sustainable AI Futures) delivered a powerful keynote on how AI can be a massive enabler for climate solutions, provided we embed transparency and digital sufficiency into its core. Reporting is complex, but holistic metrics, integrating social aspects and regulation, are the only way forward.
📈 Strategic Delivery: Brian MacAulay from Digital Catapult shared insights on their framework for long-term R&D. Solving global problems like disease and climate change requires ‘patient capital’ and a bridge between the digital and physical worlds to secure true sector competitiveness.
🔍 The Reality Check: An expert panel featuring Melissa Gregg, Oliver Cronk, Loïc Lannelongue, and Tim Dennett tackled the rebound effects and material impacts of AI. What does ‘Responsible AI’ realistically mean for policy and organisational growth?
🧙♂️ The ‘Ministry of Magic’ moment: The group took part in a visualisation and scenario analysis exercise. While AI can easily feel like ‘magic’, Diego’s reflection was that we’re at a crossroads and it’s time to start agreeing which AI use cases are truly critical.
Diego‘s key takeaways from the day:
– Resources are shared and finite: AI relies on natural resources that belong to everyone; we need global ground rules and a push towards circular practices.
– AI upskilling is a must but access must be democratised and regulated.
– Growth vs. Welfare: We must balance our expectations for exponential growth against basic human and environmental wellbeing.
AI can either help us lighten the load or create more strain; the path we take depends on the transparency and metrics we demand today. Where do you stand on this? Comment below.
A huge thank you to the organisers and the SHL – Sussex Digital Humanities Lab, BRAID UK, and Digital Catapult for such a thought-provoking day!