DeepDive: AI and the Environment
Episode speakers in order:
Hannah Smith is Director of Operations for Green Web Foundation and co-founder of Green Tech South West.
She has a background in Computer Science. She previously worked as a freelance WordPress developer, and also for the Environment Agency, where she managed large business change projects. She lives in the temperate rainforest in Exmoor National Park, UK.
https://greentechsouthwest.org/
https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/publications/report-ai-environmental-impact/
https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/news/within-bounds-joint-statement-on-limiting-ais-environmental-impact/
Boris Gamazaychikov is the Head of AI Sustainability at Salesforce and a recognized leader in the intersection of technology and climate action, named to The Independent’s 2024 Climate 100. Boris aims to serve as a bridge between the AI and climate communities, fostering collaboration to make the AI industry sustainable while advancing solutions that align with planetary boundaries. At Salesforce, Boris focuses on reducing the environmental impact of the company’s internal AI operations while working to make the broader AI ecosystem more sustainable. Boris is a frequent speaker, board member, and thought leader on the topic of AI Sustainability and beyond.
With over a decade of experience solving technical environmental challenges, Boris has developed decarbonization strategies for some of the world’s largest companies, reduced the pollution footprint of the Pentagon, and advanced sustainable practices in building material supply chains. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Maryland and continues to bridge his expertise in engineering, climate science, and AI to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.
https://huggingface.co/spaces/AIEnergyScore/Leaderboard - AI Energy Score project I mentioned
Will Alpine is an AI product management leader working at the intersection of technology, policy, and climate. He is the co-founder of the Enabled Emissions Campaign, advocating for the alignment of technology use with climate science.
During his four-year tenure at Microsoft, he led the development of Responsible AI platform features, co-founded Green Software Engineering initiatives such as the open-source Carbon Aware SDK, and co-authored Microsoft’s Accelerating Sustainability with AI playbook.
Will holds an M.S. in Technology Innovation (Connected Devices) from the University of Washington, a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University, and holds four patents from his time at SolarCity (Tesla Energy).
Outside of work, he finds inspiration in nature, often exploring the rugged landscapes of the Pacific Northwest as a plant-based adventure athlete.
Mél Hogan is Associate Professor of Film & Media at Queen's University (Canada). Her research focuses on data infrastructure as understood from within the contexts of planetary catastrophes and collective anxieties about the future. Host of The Data Fix podcast and Editor of Heliotrope. On Bluesky at @melhogan.bsky.social